Shattered Mirror
by Lady Darkness Diamond
Summary: Someone is hacking into The World and stealing the Avatar's one by one. CC Corp can't stop him, the members of G.U. are almost powerless and he even controls what remains of AIDA. But the Epitaphs aren't going to be captured without a fight... HaseoxAtoli
1. Foresight x

**AN: **Now I'm sure some of you are wondering what happened but I decided it was time to change my pen name from DragonMaster Reborn to Lady Darkness Diamond. So I hope that clears up any confusion for you who have checked out this story before. Same story, same authoress, just a different pen name for you all to smile at. :)

Plus this IS my first .hack/G.U. story so please go easy on me alright? And I think it's about time the Eight Phases we all know and love get a little more time in the spot light! So start reading and don't forget to review!

Timeline: Sunday, September 5th

Chapter One: Foresight

* * *

Darkness...no matter where he looked everything was pitch black. There was a small amount of light above him but even that was fading. _He is coming, _a soft feminine voice echoed through the empty space. _Coming for all of us...watching and waiting for the chance to control the little Children of Morganna, _it continued as the last of the light was blocked out. _Are we bits of data? Crafted and reformatted by humans? Are we intelligent entities acting according to our own free-will? The one who is coming is stronger then the former Twilight Gods and he will use us to tear 'The World apart, _the voice concluded with a tremendous roar as the empty space around him shattered like glass.

* * *

Ryou Misaki sprang up from his bed in a cold sweat. He groaned and put a hand to his forehead, _Why do I keep having that dream? _he wondered glancing over at his computer. The FMD was still laying there beside the keyboard after a long night of fighting off arena challengers at the Sage Palace. Ryou scowled at the memory and shook his head. Things had been crazy enough these past weeks in The World without him losing sleep over stuff like this. The World was _just_ getting back to normal after Cubia's defeat, but unfortunately Ryou, A.K.A. Haseo, was busier then ever being the Guild Master of Canard and dealing with the influx of new challengers at the Sage Palace Arena.

Ryou sighed and laid back down, closing his eyes against the morning sun. He was already irritated and he had just barely woken up. Silently he thanked heaven that it was the weekend. Still he knew couldn't lie around for much longer, he had already received an e-mail from CC Corp informing him that the Guild Canard would be receiving an entire area as their new Home today. The Guild had gotten so huge lately that it wasn't very surprising. More people were coming to The World now that all of the problems had blown over, and of course who wouldn't want to be in the same Guild as the infamous 'Terror of Death?'

Tossing the blankets aside Ryou got up and started getting dressed. He slipped into some jeans and grabbed a black shirt over his head, pausing for a minute before turning away from the computer. He could go into The World later on. For now his stomach was demanding food. Slipping out of the bedroom he walked down the hallway into the kitchen.

His mother looked up smiled warmly at Ryou as he walked in. "Good morning. Having a rough day already are we?" she asked, leaning over to give him a one-armed hug before as she handing him some miso soup and rice. Ryou grumbled to himself as he sat down at the table alone. His father had to work this weekend so he had already left. Ryou glanced at the clock as he ate and realized that it was already 11:00 am.

Noticing his stare Ryou's mother spoke up, "I wanted to wait until you woke up before leaving for the grocery store," she explained holding up a list of items. "Do you need anything while I'm out?" she asked and Ryou shook his head, "No, I'm just going to take care of some things online," he replied sticking another helping of rice in his mouth.

The woman smiled knowingly at him, "Well then, try not to scare anyone off alright? Your not the most pleasant person to be around when you get in your moods like this," she added teasingly and Ryou scowled at her, "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded and his mother laughed as she pointed a pen at him. "You know exactly what I mean young man," she swiftly retorted.

Ryou rolled his eyes and silently continued eating. He had to admit he got along much better with his mother than his dad who was working most of the time. She left the kitchen and a few minutes later and Ryou could hear the door lock. He put his empty dishes in the sink and headed back to his room. Ryou sat down at the computer he turned it on waiting for it to boot up before logging into The World.

* * *

Haseo stood at the Chaos Gate in Mac Anu with his arms crossed. The other players looked up when they noticed him standing there, but quickly headed off when he glared at them.

"Hey Haseo!" a cheery voice chirped right in her ear. Jumping in surprise he turned around and saw Atoli standing there with a big smile on her face. Haseo growled and leaned back, "How many times do I have to tell you not to stand in my blind spot like that!" he shouted and immediately her face dropped in disappointment. Quickly Atoli looked away and apologized, "Oh...I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you," she stared down at her hands to avoid her friend's angry stare.

_Great. I've upset her...AGAIN, _Haseo thought with a frustrated sigh. Rubbing his neck he tried to make up for his error. "It's..." he hesitated and looked away, "It's not your fault Atoli. I'm just having a bad day is all," Haseo assured her, but it was clear she didn't quite believe him. He would have said something else, but was interrupted when Silabus and Gaspard came running up to him.

They both stopped with huge smiles on their faces. Gaspard was so excited he could barely sit still and all his words came out in a rush, "Haseo! Atoli! I'm so glad your both here! Can you believe that we really have our own area now?! I'm so excited!" he looked over at Silabus who pumped a fist in the air in agreement, "He's right! I never would have imagined that Canard would get so huge! This is better then I could have ever imagined," he added, clearly eager to get going again.

Atoli smiled at their enthusiasm and nodded at those words. "Things haven't been easy since Moon Tree disbanded so it feels good to be able to help out like this again! Let's do our best Haseo!" she told him and the Adept Rouge forced a smile onto his face for their sake.

_I only have to deal with these newbies for a while. Silabus, Gaspard and Atoli are so excited about this, so I guess the least I can do I keep my cool until we get the other members settled in, _Haseo thought, opening his bookmarked area words. After a moment he found it and selected the area. Turning to his friends, Haseo gave them the area words so they could transfer with them.

"The new Home is at Delta: Twilight, Swamp's, Waterfall," Haseo told them before turning back around and warping out.

When they all arrived Haseo gave a low whistle. He had to admit the place _was_ impressive. In the middle of the area was a sprawling vine-covered temple sitting in the water with waterfalls were spilling from the roof of the castle. Through the giant mangrove trees he could see that the sun must be high in the sky.

He heard the sound of more people transferring and looked around to see his friends marveling at the area. Atoli gasped and her eyes widened, "Wow! This place is so beautiful! I've never seen anything like it!" she commented and Haseo merely nodded in reply. Gaspard rushed ahead down the stone path, "Come on you guys, let's see the inside of it!" he said as he hurried towards the stone entrance.

Inside the building there was green warp platform, much like the one in Moon Tree's former area. They used it to head up to what must be the throne room and found Death Grunty there waiting for them. Wrinkling his nose the Grunty sneered at them.

"Well, if it isn't Haseo? 'oink' I was starting to think you'd skipped out on us. 'oink' You never have been the most reliable Guild Master. 'oink oink" the Grunty waited impatiently for his answer. Haseo bristled with anger and raised a fist threateningly, "Why you arrogant little...!" he began, but Atoli quickly grabbed his arm, "Now, now, Haseo, you don't want to scare off your new guild mates before you even get to meet them do you?" she asked politely and Haseo scowled at Death Grunty before stalking off to take a seat on his "throne."

The other members of Canard stared in awe at the arena emperor and Haseo could hear them whispering as he sat down. Silabus and Gaspard were in their element and were giving a group of new players some advice and area words to use. Atoli had a crowd of admirers surrounding her as well. Being a former member of Moon Tree and having entered the arena with Haseo had made her enormously popular within The World. The only one _not_ enjoy himself was, of course, Haseo.

Sighing to himself, Haseo rubbed his forehead that dream he'd had earlier was still bothering him. Things were finally starting to settle down, Shino was awake again and Tabby was doing well in her studies—she often sent emails to tell how she was doing. Then again Ovan had disappeared both from the game and from the real world as well and since Yata, Pi, and Kuhn were no longer need at CC Corp they was the possibilty that they would be let go from the company.

_Why are you worried about that when there's someone here watching you? _a deep, but familiar, voice suddenly whispered. Haseo straightened up and looked around, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

With a shake of his head Haseo settled back in his chair, _Great, now I'm hearing things even when I'm awake, _he thought pushing up the FMD so he could rub his eyes. _Either something is wrong or I'm really starting to lose it_, Haseo shook his head dismissing his feelings. Unaware of the fact that someone really _was_ watching him.

* * *

Aihane stood in a corner watching the legendary Haseo. He couldn't help but sneer at the boy, the legendary emperor who was now ranked among previous dot hackers such as Kite and BlackRose.

_So that's him? The PC that the First Phase has attached himself to, but I guess it's only fitting that Skeith has chosen him. They do have quite a history together after all, _Aihane thought, giving a fake smile as some noobs passed by. When they were gone he leaned back against the wall to further observe the Guild Master. This time when he smiled it was a mischievous one, _Skeith may obey Haseo now...but soon enough he'll be calling ME master, _Aihane thought as he stared back over at a clearly distracted Haseo.

His gaze wandered over to Atoli who was trading items with another player. Aihane stroked his chin as he considered things, T_here's also the Second Phase...Innis, The Mirage of Deceit...that girl has far more talent then she realizes, _he considered, crossing his arms and nodding to another group of guild members that walked by.

_With a little more training both Skeith and Innis will be stronger then ever, and they'll strong enough for me to use in my plans. Corbenik The Rebirth may be missing at the moment, but that Avatar is nearly impossible to control anyway so I'll worry about that some other time, _Aihane raised the FMD and looked over at his other computer, which was compiling any and all information on the player who controlled Haseo.

The hacker smirked and lowered the visor, politely engaging some awestruck Haseo fangirl. _Skeith, Innis, Magus, Fidchell, Gorre, Macha, Tarvos, and Corbenik. The Eight Phases may be stronger then anything else currently in The World, but they are still made of data. Any computer can be hacked and any data can be corrupted and twisted. The events of the past few months are evidence of that and by the time I'm done the Eight Phases will be under __**my**__ control. With their power I will capture Aura and rule the online world completely, _Aihane thought with sick pleasure.

The Eight Phases were A.I.'s originally designed primarily for fighting and all were capable of reformatting data. Morganna had, in some way or another, originally created all of them. Those fools at CC Corp had tried to reformat them and use them to protect The world, but instead the avatars had gotten loose and ended up choosing partners of their own.

_Things will be different this time around however, those A.I.'s need an experienced hacker to put them in their place, _Aihane considered as he straightened up and walked out of the huge Home. For now though... he could afford to bide his time.

* * *

After an hour or so all of the new players were off enjoying The World and the more experienced players were hanging around and chatting and Haseo for one thought that it was about time.

Haseo sighed and relaxed, _About time most of them left, I'm in no mood to deal with all of these people, _he thought finishing up a trade. Silabus and Gaspard had already gone to an area that had been posted on the forums. They had invited Atoli, but she had decided to stick around.

Quietly Atoli walked up and stood beside the throne. Leaning over she peered closely at her friend. "Haseo...are you sure your okay?" she asked curiously and he had to grit his teeth to keep from yelling at her. Haseo closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he fought back a sharp reply. _She's just trying to help, she's just trying to help, _Haseo chanted in his mind, "I'm fine alright?" he finally got out. This time Atoli picked up on the irritation in his voice and quickly leaned back.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you," Atoli apologized once again and Haseo frowned at that response. "Don't apologize so much!" he snapped at her and Atoli blinked and looked away, "Oh, your right, I'm sorry," she added and Haseo covered the mic and sighed heavily.

The Adept Rouge merely shook his head and stood up, "Well, I think we're pretty much done here so I'm leaving," Haseo explained and Atoli smiled warmly, "Okay then! I'm so glad things went smoothly today! Kuhn and Bo invited me to check out a dungeon on the Sigma server earlier today so I'll see you later all right?" she told him and he shrugged indifferently in response.

Haseo watched her leave and then looked around and nodded with satisfaction before heading across the room and transferring back down to the first level. He used the warp platform to transfer back to Mac Anu and then used the Chaos Gate to transfer to Breg Epona. After a moment of thought he picked and area at random area.

_Glittering, Black, Freedom? A bit too soft and fluffy for my taste and the level is pretty far below mine, but at least I'll be able to get some more items for Shop Acorn, _he thought warping there. It was a forest dungeon and not much of a challenge since he was at level 150 now, but it would kill some time at least.

Haseo quickly made his way through, saved some players from Pks, and took his anger out on some the otherwise helpless Chim Chims. He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally came to the Treasure Room. "About time I got to the Beast Statue," Haseo muttered preparing to open the treasure chest.

_He's going to attack! _the same voice from before warned him and the Adept Rouge scowled and looked around. He had to admit that it _did_ feel like someone was watching him. After a moment he shook his head, _It must be my imagination...no one else is here, _Haseo thought as he bent down again.

_The only think you'll be IMAGINING is a blow to your life points if you don't start paying attention brat, _the voice added snidely, making him jump in surprise. "What in the...?" he asked, surprised that he had actually been answered, but before he could react, though, a familiar sound came through the FMD as black spots danced in front of his eyes.

"AIDA? But how?" Haseo was shocked. Ovan had sacrificed himself to get rid of AIDA and he had even destroyed Cubia. Growling in frustration Haseo shook his head and pushed his confusion aside. "I can talk to Yata about this later" he decided as he closed his eyes and called forth his Avatar.

"Come on...come on...I'm right here! Skeith!" Haseo shouted as the forest dungeon disappeared and Avatar Space replaced it. The green Gate Keeper AIDA floated in floated in front of him ready to attack. _A Gate Keeper? This shouldn't take very long, _Haseo smirked as a scythe appeared in Skeith's right hand.

* * *

Clicking sounds filled the room as Aihane tapped away at the keyboard. The program he launched had failed to bring up any information on Haseo's player, which wasn't really that surprising. The one thing CC Corporation did do right was keep its player's identities confidential.

Quickly Aihane launched another hacking program that would probe CC Corp's data base's to find any weaknesses in their security. Switching to his other computer, Aihane smirked as he watched the fragmented remnants of AIDA dance across his screen, easily confined to his computer servers.

As a whole, AIDA had done incredible damage to the players in The World, controlling people and sending others into a coma. The larger part of AIDA would separate in order to perform different tasks and defeating one hurt the whole, but after Ovan's sacrifice AIDA had been fragmented and the majority of it deleted. Now that it was separated the individual AIDA that he had collected were easily controlled and directed.

_Like a broken mirror. There are far too many shards to put back together again, but I can still manipulate the individual pieces,_ Aihane thought as he continued tapping away at the keyboard, inputting a special command to the AIDA fragment in front of him.

The World unfolded in front of him as the fragment flew through the streams of data in order to find Haseo. The screen switched to a forest dungeon and then the AIDA floated above the Beast Statue, watching Haseo for a moment before black spots danced across the screen. Of course the "Terror of Death" summoned Skeith in response to seeing the creature. _You may think this AIDA fragment will be easy to defeat...but you don't know what your in for little Haseo, _Aihane's eyes watched Skeith prepare to attack. _I control AIDA's every movement now. Now Skeith...let's see how powerful you REALLY are, _he pressed a button and the Gate Keeper's pink "eye" glowed as it prepared to fire its Algol Laser.

* * *

**AN:** Hope Haseo was in character, like I said this is my first attempt but constructive criticism is always appreciated.

I am currently in the process of revising these chapters and those that I have completed (again) will have a small symbol next to them. So Please review and let me know what you think! All comments are appreciated!


	2. Freedom x

**AN:** WOW! Thanks for the reviews everyone! It's so nice to have some support! And I'm not the best at spelling and punctuation also...but I am trying to get better. As for Ryou/Haseo's attitude, he's just having a REALLY bad day is all. He'll cheer up (well at least a little, this **is** Haseo we're talking about) in further chapters.

So thank you once again for the reviews everyone! Glad you like my original character! Skeith also gets some more spotlight in this chapter. So read on everyone!

Chapter Two: Freedom

* * *

Haseo frowned as he prepared to fight the AIDA before him. He didn't know why it was here, but he certainly wasn't going to let it get away now. Besides with Skeith at such a high level it shouldn't be too hard...right?

Quickly Haseo dashed to the side as the AIDA fired its first attack at him with Kobold Bullet. Skeith easily knocked the energy shots away and then lifted his hand, targeting the Gate Keeper a couple times before firing several shots of his own at the data anomaly. The Gate Keeper dodged the attack and attacked again with Kobold Bullet.

Growling angrily, Haseo moved out of the way and let them fly past. _There's no way AIDA could avoid Skeith's shots so easily! And this one seems a lot faster then the one's I've fought before too, _he thought as he fired again, this time all over the field. As expected the Gate Keeper swiftly dipped and dodged around the random attacks before using Algol Lazer, the three black beams slicing through the air towards Skeith. The Avatar tried to dash to the right, but was still caught in the side.

Haseo winced at the flash of pain, but easily shook it off. The 8 swords on Skeith's back glowed and then vanished, forming into the pulsing energy scythe that he had used before during the fight with Cubia. The white Avatar swung the weapon around furiously, sending shock waves flying towards the Gate Keeper who once again avoided all but one of them. The AIDA was slammed backwards by the hit and spun around from the sudden force.

When it turned around to face Skeith, Haseo could see a neat slice of data missing from its body. Leaning closer he could actually see strings of data crawling around inside. Frowning he gritted his teeth at this unexpected development. _I've fought these things before and this is definitely __**not **__normal. Sure AIDA tend to move around a lot, but not like this! I've never seen that kind of damage from an attack before either, _Haseo considered as his instincts told him that something was up; this AIDA wasn't like any he had ever fought before.

Before he could react and set up another attack, Skeith suddenly leaped forward on his own, whipping the scythe around and ripping more chunks of data out of the Gate Keeper's body. Haseo was shaken from his thoughts and immediately seized control of his Avatar. He expected a fight, but instead Skeith submitted and allowed him to take control.

Haseo shook his head in confusion, _What's going on here? Skeith usually doesn't act on his own like that. Then again this Gate Keeper doesn't seem normal. There's now way it should be this agile. Is someone else controlling AIDA now? The way Ovan gained partial control over Tri-Edge? _he considered, dashing out of the way of another Algol Lazer before locking onto the Gate Keeper and using Skeith's Homing Shot to fire several projectiles at the AIDA.

This time the Gate Keeper was stunned, leaving itself wide open to attack. Dashing forward Haseo prepared to finish the AIDA off, but he had been pretty far away and the Gate Keeper recovered before he could fully close the distance. It swelled up like a balloon as it prepared another attack. Haseo gritted his teeth and Skeith immediately came to a halt as long tendrils shot out of the Gate Keeper's body.

_I don't have time to dodge it! _Haseo realized as the attack prepared to impale Skeith, but before the attack could hit Skeith grabbed the tendrils in his claws. With lightning quick reflexes the Avatar pulled the creature forward and slammed his fist straight into its central eye. The AIDA sparked and and backed up to try and increase the distance between them once again.

Haseo let it go and instead floated there in confusion as he considered what just happened. The longer this fight went on the more control Skeith was gaining and Haseo remembered all to well what had occurred when his Avatar gained control in the Demon Palace Arena battle against Kuhn and Magus.

_Don't worry so much. I'm strong enough and smart enough now to know keep that from happening. Only a weak and inexperienced fool would do that again. So settle down and let me take care of this one brat, _a deep voice suddenly said in response to his thoughts.

_S-Skeith? _Haseo asked dodging an attack and whipping the scythe around at the same time. The attack sliced through the are and bit deeply into the Gate Keeper, exposing more of its data. He heard a derisive grunt followed by a sharp retort, _Do you see anyone else around here? __Honestly you humans are so dense sometimes, _Skeith responded arrogantly.

Haseo was already having a bad day and did _not _have time to stop for a conversation in the middle of a fight like this. Growling in irritation he dodged another Algol Laser and tried to concentrate. _Shut up! We can talk about this later! Right now we need to get rid of this AIDA before it gets away! _he demanded and immediately heard Skeith snort.

_WE? Who exactly is taking the most of the damage here anyway?! _the Epitaph retorted and Haseo cursed fluently before responding, _We're __**both**__ going down if you don't stop distracting me!! _he shot off and Skeith grunted at that and fell silent.

_Geez, as if I didn't have enough problems...can't I just have ONE normal day? _Haseo wondered as he continued attacking the Gate Keeper.

* * *

Aihane watched curiously as Haseo used Skeith to fight the Gate Keeper AIDA. The hacker moved the fragment of data out of the way as Haseo rapidly fired off more energy blasts from Skeith's hands. "You'll have to do better then that," he said to himself, putting in another order. The AIDA fired off another Algol Laser from its eyes, one of the black beams scoring a direct hit on Skeith's left side.

AIDA fragments could respond and attack on its own of course, but they could also be controlled and directed as this Gate Keeper was now, making it that much easier to take down more powerful opponents such as the Epitaphs. Some AIDA might not be as strong as others, but none of them were "easy" to defeat and with a little guidance their abilities could be greatly amplified.

At the moment it was clear that Haseo was confused by the Gate Keeper's actions, but he was quickly recovering and was switching his plan of attack to test its strength. Aihane smirked and allowed the AIDA to fight on its own for a moment, but Skeith's new form was faster, stronger, and more agile then ever before.

The white Avatar easily dashed forward, slicing into the Gate Keeper with his pulsing scythe, but then he paused and moved back when Haseo commanded him to. Aihane nodded, more than satisfied with Skeith's current performance. Leaning over he switched to his other computer and quickly hit a few buttons to run another program to check the status of the small AIDA Server he had already set up around the room Haseo was currently in.

Most of the previous servers that AIDA set up had been designed to enhance human emotions to the point where they lost control of themselves as Sakaki and Sirius had before, but Aihane had easily hacked the data of this one so that the server would _suppress_ Haseo's feelings instead. Doing so would give Skeith more freedom and allow the A.I. to take control whenever Haseo hesitated as he just had a moment or two ago.

_But Skeith did allow his current master to take control again and that's not what I'm here to watch. Let's see __**your **__skills...Terror of Death, _he thought sending in another Gate Keeper that appeared right behind Skeith.

* * *

At Haseo's current angle he couldn't see the second AIDA that had just appeared behind him, but Skeith immediately sensed the change and wanted to attack. Static sparked across the screen for a moment and Haseo growled in disgust as the controles failed to respond. _What is it now? _he wondered but didn't have to wait very long in order to find out.

Seizing control from his master, Skeith shot straight up in the air just as both Gate Keeper's fired Algol Lasers from their eyes. The AIDA's attacks missed their intended target and slammed into each other instead, burning deep holes into one another's data. Skeith, though, was far from finished and summoned two giant chakram. One with his left hand and the other by charging his scythe. Both AIDA twitched in response, but didn't have time to move out of the way as the two swirling disks of energy came flying towards them.

The two chakram sliced straight through both of the Gate Keeper's and they drifted down, strings of data trailing behind until all of the data peeled away and dispersed. Skeith stared for a moment before Haseo recalled him and the field disappeared, replaced by the normal treasure room of the forest dungeon he had been in.

Haseo looked around but everything was quiet. _I didn't even have to use Data Drain that time. Those Gate Keeper's may have been fast, but they weren't very strong in the end, _he thought pinching his nose in confusion.

_That's because they're just fragments, pieces of what AIDA once was. It must have happened because of Corbenik's Rebirth ability, _Skeith speculated as Haseo walked back over andopened the treasure chest before heading back to the platform and warping back to Breg Epona.

There were plenty of other PC's walking around, but Haseo payed them no heed. Instead he narrowed his eyes and thought about what just happened. Now that he thought about it he _had_ spoken to Skeith before. Back when Ovan had sacrificed himself and destroyed AIDA, all of the Epitaph User's had been damaged physically and mentally. They had all had a chance to "speak" with their Avatars and while Skeith had been ready to leave, Haseo hadn't let him go anywhere. As for the rest...well overall everything had turned out okay.

Haseo moved through the Root Town and down into the back alley so he could have some peace. _All right, I want an explanation. Why are you talking to me like this all of a sudden? _he demanded and Skeith sighed with feigned long suffering, _Don't you __**ever**__ pay attention? When you were first learning about us Avatars, Epitaphs, Phases, or whatever you want to call us, the old hag told you that we were connected on a physical and mental level right? _the Terror of Death began and Haseo nodded in agreement.

_Yeah, I remember Pi drilling that into my head. So your saying that all of the Eight Phases can talk to their partners if they choose to? They just haven't done so because there was no reason? _he guessed and Skeith hummed appreciatively, _Well, look who's actually been paying attention! I guess all that information The Prophet drilled into your head finally clicked didn't it? _he commented and Haseo assumed that by "The Prophet" Skeith was talking about Yata and his Avatar Fidchell.

Silence fell between them as Haseo thought that over for a moment. Talking to Skeith like this didn't seem that strange to him really. After dealing with AIDA, Aura, the Azure Knights, and all of the Eight Phases, Haseo wasn't really surprised by much of anything anymore. Caught off guard for a moment maybe, but not really surprised.

Shrugging it off Haseo decided to go ahead and ask some more questions since Skeith seemed so willing to talk away now. _So what about those AIDA we fought earlier? The way they acted wasn't normal at all, _he inquired suspiciously, crossing his arms and looking over his shoulder to mack sure no eager fans had seen him and followed him down here.

Haseo could sense Skeith mulling that over before the Avatar responded, _Those AIDA you fought were being controlled by the same person who was watching you at the Canard area home. He must be a hacker and its a safe bet to say that he's after me and the other Phases, but that's all I can tell you and its speculation at that. So don't ask anything else, got it brat? _the Avatar added and the Adept Rouge frowned, _Well thanks, your sure a big help now aren't you? _he thought heading back to the Chaos Gate.

When he got there Haseo switched servers and transferred to Net Slum Tartarga immediately heading towards the bridge. Here at least they would be able to talk in peace. The only ones who might overhear him were the discarded or Vagrant A.I.'s and they probably couldn't care less about anything he had to say anyway. Haseo checked his party list and saw that pretty much everyone was logged in right now.

Haseo quickly sent a short flash mail to everyone and then hesitated for a quick second before sending one to Zelkova as well. Ten minutes later all the G.U. members had come to Net Slum and were gathered together on the bridge. Yata was in the middle adjusted his glasses calmly, "I take it this is important? I do have other places where I'm needed," he warned and Haseo was about to speak when Skeith interrupted again.

_Like he has anything better to do. I mean The Prophet is all talk! Fidchell makes one indecipherable prophecy and now his User thinks he's king of the world! __**I'm**_ _the one who helped summon Aura in the Hulle Granz Cathedral and fought Cubia after all! Can't he just...! _the Terror of Death began, but Haseo quickly cut off his tirade.

"Would you shut up already? I didn't call them here so they could listen to you gripe," Haseo mumbled to his Avatar and Pi raised an eyebrow. "Are you all right Haseo?" she asked as everyone stared at him. Clearing his throat Haseo crossed his arms and started his explanation.

"I was soloing in a dungeon...when I can across AIDA," he began and everyone gasped. Kuhn immediately lifted his hands to stop him from saying more, "Impossible! I mean Ovan was the one who got rid of AIDA right? And we haven't seen any sign of it since," he reminded them and Atoli shook her head in disbelief, "I know that AIDA was _supposed_ to be destroyed but...what happened Haseo? Did you fight it?" she asked and he nodded affirmatively. "I fought it with Skeith of course, but there was something...different about it, I mean I didn't even have to use Data Drain," Haseo continued with a shrug.

Zelkova tilted his head, a smile still in place. "Hmm, that _is_ strange...what dungeon were you in?" he asked walking to the central control. Haseo frowned slightly as he tried to recall the area words. "Glittering, Black, Freedom on the Sigma server, it's a forest dungeon," he responded and Zelkova grinned at that before turning to the central controls, "Tartarga bring up footage from that area, any unusual sightings or players," he ordered

Understood...here is the requested information, Tartarga responded as a broad screen appeared in front of them.

Kuhn was clearly surprised, "But I thought the Serpent of Lore was shut down now that the G.U Project is over?" he asked and Atoli smiled, "Did you do this Master Zelkova?" she asked and the former Guild Maser smiled mischievously at them, "Well I managed to..."copy" the data so that the bridge has the same capabilities as the Serpent of Lore," he explained cheerfully. Yata elaborated as he walked up beside Zelkova, "That means that we can search through The World for any strange or unusual occurrences," he added as the Beast Statue came up on the screen with Haseo walking towards it. The date and time clicked off at the bottom of the screen as they watched.

All of the Epitaph Users focused on the screen as black dots appeared and Bo gasped at the image, "That _is_ AIDA!" he confirmed as Pi frowned at the video, "Something's not right about this..." she commented watching the replay as Haseo summoned Skeith and began fighting the Gate Keeper.

Yata narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Those _are_ AIDA, but just fragments of it. That's why the data is coming apart with every hit," he told them as they watched Skeith fight. Tartarga suddenly interrupted and said, Anomaly detected. An abnormal server was present towards the end of the fight, he put in as static sparked across the screen. Moment's later the replay showed Skeith taking out both Gate Keepers.

The screen disappeared and Zelkova turned back to Haseo, "Yata's right, those AIDA were just fragments and Tartarga just said that an abnormal server appeared...did you notice anything strange?" he asked and Haseo stood up straighter and nodded.

"While I was fighting against those AIDA I noticed that Skeith was gaining more and more control. He never went berserk really, he just acted on his own," he replied scratching his head. Pi hummed thoughtfully to herself, "I guess it shouldn't be surprising that the Avatar's are able to take control like that," she commented simply, turning to Yata who continued with his thoughts.

The reinstated G.U. leader nodded calmly, "All of the Avatar's were in some way created by Morganna, the cause of the Second Network Crisis. Since Morganna created them from parts of her own data, it means that the Eight Phases are also A.I. systems like she was," Yata reminded them.

"No...they're better then Morganna," Endrance suddenly said, surprising all of them. Atoli looked over at the Blade Brandier in surprise, "Better? But how is that?" she asked and Endrance looked over her way as he continued, "Aura grew by interacting and observing humans, Morganna however was quite the opposite. She rejected human contact unless she absolutely needed something she couldn't quite manage to do herself. Even then she would dispose of her servants when they weren't useful to her anymore," he said and Yata cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention.

Satisfied that they were listening to him now Yata nodded in consent, "Endrance is right. There is a good chance that Morganna could have been as advanced as Aura, but she refused to interact with humans in the same way. By comparison the Avatar's that we control have all chosen us specifically and are with us every minute we play the game. As we become stronger, they grow stronger and smarter as well and become more advanced as they observe our behavior," he continued and Kuhn crossed his arms as he pieced this information together.

The Steam Gunner made a face as he speculated. "So the more our Avatar's observe and interact with us...the stronger and more advanced they become? That would explain why Skeith took control during the fight. He wasn't disobeying the orders he was given, Skeith was just responding to Haseo's hesitation," Kuhn correctly observed. Yata nodded, carefully examining the screen before turning back to Haseo. "I will run more tests on this footage. Did you notice anything else?" he asked and Haseo remembered his earlier conversation.

After a moment Haseo decided to just come out and say it, "Well...Skeith told me that someone was controlling those AIDA and that the same person had been watching me earlier," he added and Yata stared at him for a moment.

Haseo realized that everyone else was looking at him as well and he bristled defensively, "What?!" he demanded glaring back at them.

Zelkova popped up beside him and asked, "So Skeith spoke to you during the fight?" he prodded and Haseo backed up a step so they weren't so close. He frowned at the inquiry and rubbed his neck uncomfortably, "Yeah...I admit that's not normal, but there's nothing wrong with that...is there?" he questioned looking over at Yata who merely shook his head. "It is unusual for your Avatar to speak to you, but nothing gravely abnormal. I'm just surprised it hasn't happened before," he stated opening his fan and turning around.

Pi pushed her glasses up higher and then crossed her arms, "Master Yata and I will look into this some more and see what else we can find. You can leave this to us" she assured, clearly dismissing them.

Haseo looked back and forth between them and figured that was the most he was going to get out of them today, _Well, I suppose that's all I can do for now. Yata and Pi will be able to find out more then I will, _he thought, satisfied to have at least _some_ information on what was going on. For now he was going to log out. Haseo had had enough excitement for one day.

Hitting the Log Out command Haseo left The World behind.

Pulling off his FMD Ryou sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head to loosen his tired back muscles. He stood up and walked over to the bathroom, staring at the mirror. For a moment he saw Skeith staring back at him. Quickly Ryou shook his head and blinked in surprise, but it was just his normal reflection.

_Stupid Avatar is messing with my head. I'll leave all this to Yata and get some studying done for school, _he thought washing his face and heading back into his room.

* * *

Aihane couldn't be more pleased with Skeith's performance. The First Phase, the Terror of Death, had performed admirably in that battle against AIDA. _With every form Haseo gains, Skeith also becomes stronger. Those fight's with his partner have greatly increased Skeith's experience. I'm sure that fact is true of the other Avatar's and Epitaph User's as well, _he considered looking over at his second computer that was pulling up Haseo's game information.

Satisfied Aihane turned back to the computer in front of him. _That will have to do for now. In the meantime I think it is about time I tested the fighting ability of Innis, the Mirage of Deceit, _he considered smugly as he leaned back in his chair reflectively.

_Atoli...I wonder how strong you __**really **__are when no one else is around to save you, _he thought as sat back up and ran through his collection of AIDA fragments.

* * *

**AN:** And here we go everyone! So how did you like the second chapter? I actually had this done for a while but I usually don't have time to proofread and put up chapters over the weekend. Next up is Atoli and she's gonna be all on her own for this one...

How did you like the "conversations" between Haseo and Skeith? Things aren't going to get much better for the Epitaph User's and there's plenty of drama in store for Haseo. Now yes, I know there's not much HaseoxAtoli action yet, but that will start in the next chapter so don't worry everyone! Until then review! I want to know what you think!


	3. Mirage of Disaster

**AN:** Wow! Thanks for the reviews everyone! And the way you pronounce Aihane is indeed: I-ha-nay. Thought I might clear that up for everyone. And yes poor Atoli is going to have to fight on her own this time, Haseo won't be able to back her up.

Oh, one more thing I want to get straight. When Skeith is referring to Yata, Pi, Kuhn, Atoli, Endrance, or Sakubo then he'll call them by their Avatar's surname/nickname or whatever. For example when Skeith says 'The Prophet' he means Yata. But when he says Fidchell, then Skeith is talking about the actual Avatar itself. Read that over a few times if you don't get it right away. Plus this being my first story it's a bit difficult doing Atoli so bear with me alright? Now get ready and hold on everybody! Read on and enjoy!

Chapter Three: Mirage Of Disaster

* * *

Sunday had come and gone. Monday was here and not that school was over and his homework doen, Ryou found that, for once, he had nothing to do. No arena challengers, no noobs to help out, and Yata hadn't written him a cryptic e-mail, so he must not have discovered anything important yet.

_Finally, no business to worry about. I'll actually be able to relax for once,_he thought turning on the computer. Ryou didn't have any dreams last night either, which was also a plus considering all of the strange things that had happened yesterday. Pulling himself from his thoughts, Ryou saw that he had a new e-mail from Atoli that read:

Hello Haseo!

I know you've been pestered by a lot of other players lately so I thought maybe I could help out! Why don't we go adventuring together? I know some area words that you might like. I'll be in Breg Epona if your interested, so just send me a flash mail!

Atoli

The message also listed an area and had been sent just a few minutes ago, so Ryou decided to join her. He logged into The World and put the FMD on his head. As soon as he logged in Skeith started talking again,_About time you got here! That weirdo who was watching you yesterday must be up to something. If I can feel the increase in data, then The Prophet must already be searching for the source, _the Terror of Death told him and Haseo scowled. _Can't you leave me alone? I want to have a normal day for once and not have to worry about AIDA, hackers, or anything else like that, _he told his Avatar.

Skeith sneered at him, _Awww, and I thought we were such close friends too. Besides, Innis also feels that something is wrong. So be careful alright? It took forever for you to finally summon me and I'm not going through the trouble of trying find another compatible host; you get me brat? _Skeith warned and Haseo twitched with irritation at the term 'brat.' _So you just want me to be careful so that you'll be spared the trouble of finding someone else? Well thanks, I sure feel the love now don't I? _he thought with mild disgust.

The Avatar actually laughed at him, _Don't worry; even if we're separated I'm not going to go off and disappear somewhere. After all we do have quite a history together, _Skeith hinted and Haseo froze on the steps, "History? What do you mean history?" he asked in confusion but was distracted when he heard a voice, "Hey Haseo!" Atoli said cheerfully as she ran up to him. Haseo decided to ask Skeith about his comment later, for now he was determined to have some actual fun. Atoli smiled warmly, "I thought maybe some adventuring would help take your mind off of things" she offered as Haseo ran through his party list.

Unfortunately almost everyone was busy, even Endrance who was always online. The only ones not occupied were Bordeux and the Azure Knights. Haseo didn't feel like putting up with the PKer today so he called Azure Balmung, who gave a wordless reply as always and warped in beside him. He hovered over the area that Atoli had given in her e-mail and selected it, they arrived in a field with several monster platforms. The sun was shining and the Beast Temple was on the island to their left. Atoli turned to him, "This is area level is 152 so I thought you might like to level up Haseo" she explained thoughtfully. The player level of The World had just recently been raised to 200 so Haseo was eager to get stronger of course.

Haseo crossed his arms, "Thanks. I need to get better if I'm going to keep all of my rabid fans away. I feels like it's been forever since I've been able to actually enjoy the game without being pestered by someone" he commented as they started walking. Azure Balmung was silent as always of course. Atoli couldn't help but think about how badly she'd annoyed Haseo when they first met; she'd gotten better, but then again Haseo had changed as well. He was more thoughtful and tried to contain his anger rather then blowing up at everyone the way he used to all the time.

Atoli looked up at the CG clouds as she thought about everything they had been through, "I would like to think that The World might actually be getting back to normal again" she commented sounding sad and Haseo looked over at her curiously, "What do you mean? Cubia is gone and things are calming down. Sure some weird nerd who doesn't get out enough is targeting us, but that's nothing new. I'm sure all of this will blow over in no time" he assured her but Atoli wasn't so sure. After all Haseo did have a tendency to ignore things like this when it was convenient for him.

She frowned, "I don't know about that...I just can't help thinking that something really bad is going to happen to us and our Avatars" Atoli added sounding concerned. Haseo was quiet for a moment as he remembered what Skeith had told him and the battle he had fought yesterday. _Excuse me, but the battle __**you**__ fought? Wasn't __**I**__the one who stopped that AIDA before it could stab us in the back? You didn't even know it was there! _Skeith argued and Haseo twitched again. _You wouldn't be able to fight at all if it wasn't for me you know! Now leave me alone unless another AIDA shows up alright? _he demanded and he heard the Terror of Death grumble something before falling silent again.

Haseo hated seeing her depressed so he looked over at her, "Look you know how obsessed Yata is with The World. If there's anything to worry about then he'll be sure to tell us right? For now you should just take it easy" he said trying to reassure her. Atoli brightened somewhat, "I guess you've got a point there. I'll promise I won't weigh you down Haseo! Now let's go find some monsters!" she said perking up. Haseo gave a small smile as he saw how happy she was.

They fought their way through the field and all of them went up a level by the time they collected all three symbol fragments. It felt good to get some of his aggression out of his system, and he also was able to collect plenty of extra items for Shop Acorn. Haseo looked over at Atoli who was admiring a green slepnir that was happily walking a few feet away from them.

Before something like that would have annoyed him to death, but now..._ Atoli puts up a mask and tries to act like she's okay, but all of these past events with Sakaki have really gotten to her. It's good to see her happy and enjoying the game again, _Haseo thought a small smile coming to his face as he continued staring at her. Atoli caught him staring and waved a hand in front of his face, "Umm, are you okay Haseo?" she asked leaning towards him and he shook his head. "Uh, fine. I'm fine, just a thinking is all" Haseo responded looking away, his face tinted pink.

Atoli took a step back and tilted her head, "Are you sure? You just seem like you've been under a lot of pressure these past few days. It's not good to keep your feelings bottled up all the time" she warned and Haseo raised an eyebrow at that, "I shouldn't keep _my_feelings bottled up? Your not the most open person I've ever met either" he retorted with a frown. "You act like nothings wrong, like your doing just fine, when your doing worse then any of us. I know you still haven't gotten over the whole Sakaki thing but rather then talking about it you just smile and say that everything is fine. Why don't you try following your own advice for once?" Haseo retorted harshly.

Of course Atoli immediately hung her head at his words, "Your right. I'm sorry Haseo. I shouldn't have said anything" she quickly apologized making Haseo feel bad for putting her down like that. _Great...there she goes making me feel bad again, _he thought rubbing his neck uncomfortably as they walked. Sighing heavily he stopped and turned to the Harvest Cleric, "Look, I'm sorry alright?" Haseo said not looking her in the eyes as she stared at him questioningly. "I know things haven't been easy for you and I...I shouldn't have said what I did okay?" he finally admitted feeling embarrassed.

He was a guy that definitely had trouble admitting his feelings. Haseo was used to being arrogant, egotistical, and self-centered, not kind and caring. But going through all of this trouble with AIDA and the other players had changed his attitude and feelings. Atoli was shocked by his apology, but her surprise soon turned to giggles as she saw his embarrassment. Haseo's face dropped into a scowl which only increased her mirth. "And what pray tell is so funny?" he demanded as Azure Balmung stared off into the distance as if sensing something.

Atoli cleared her throat, "Sorry Haseo, I didn't mean to laugh at you...but it's just so strange to see you apologize like this" she commented, still amused. Months ago she never would have dreamed that she would here the words 'I'm sorry' come out of his mouth. The arena emperor grunted and stalked off, "Whatever, let's get moving. We're done here" Haseo grumbled and a grinning Atoli and stoic Balmung followed behind him.

* * *

Aihane was carefully watching Haseo, Atoli, and Azure Balmung as they headed into the Beast Temple. So far everything was going according to plan. First he wanted to gauge the strength of each individual Phase, implanting them with a special device as he did so. In fact Skeith already had one hidden in his data, and by the time Aihane implemented the most crucial phase of his plan, the devices would have full control over the Avatars. The special system that was now implanted in Skeith was slowly integrating itself into the Phase's data. Had the Terror of Death been more knowledgeable of computer systems then he would have recognized the foreign file and purged it automatically.

Interacting with humans made the AIs more intelligent, but it was their ability to data drain that increased their knowledge of computer data and electronic systems. In the first version of 'The World' Kite had used the bracelet on data bugs. When Kite did so, he not only extracted Virus Core's but he also transferred all of the extra data to Aura, who learned and became stronger from it. Because of all the data she had absorbed, Aura was able to recreate the Azure Knights, Kite, Balmung, and Orca in this version of the game. They were somewhat incomplete of course and would never be as good as the originals, but that was to be expected.

When CC Corp created Version 2 of The World, it had forcibly suppressed Aura's power. That was why she hadn't been able to do anything about Cubia and had instead left the matter in the hands of the Epitaph Users. _But this file that is in Skeith will give me full control once it is fully integrated into the Avatar's system. That goes for the other Phases as well. If I don't put the device inside of them early, they will become too intelligent and find a way to get rid of it, _he admitted. But right now the Avatar's didn't have a lot of computer knowledge so they wouldn't sense what was happening until it was too late to stop the hacker.

_This file I've designed and put in the first Phase is the best that has ever been designed, and once I have control of Skeith, Innis, Magus, Fidchell, Gorre, Macha, Tarvos, and Corbenik then I will be able to take down Aura herself, _Aihane thought reviewing every step of his plan. Right now Aura was too powerful and the Avatar's too weak. But through careful manipulation and fight's with the AIDA fragments he controlled, they _would_become stronger and smarter. _And then all of Aura's intelligence will be in my hands. Right now Aura is too soft and kind with her use of power. If she chose to, she could single handedly take down every computer in the world just as Cubia almost did, _Aihane paused for a moment as he envisioned the future.

Once he made sure the Avatar's were strong enough, he would separate them from their chosen masters. That's when the device inside of them would activate and take control of their data, forcing the Avatar's to listen and obey Aihane. Once the Avatar's were his loyal servants he would go after Aura and all of her power.

The only reason Cubia had been stopped was because of the efforts of the Epitaph Users. But if they were stripped of their power then the whole world would lay bare in front of him. With all of these AIs in his control there would be no being, physical or electronic, that could stop him.

Aihane smirked and set up an AIDA server around the fields Beast Temple. This server was different from the last one he had set up. Instead of giving the Avatar's more freedom, this field was modified to suppress Skeith so he couldn't be summoned by Haseo. Azure Balmung would have his abilities suppressed as well so he wouldn't be able to leap in and stop the battle that was about to commence.

The hacker smirked to himself as he made his way into The World's systems. Once he'd opened up a hole, a back door if you will, he launched another AIDA fragment into the field and watched as it headed towards the group. Black dots danced in front of Haseo and Atoli as the fragment known as Oswald appeared. The spider-like AIDA formed and Haseo immediately jumped into action. He moved to summon Skeith and...nothing happened. Aihane turned up the sound and could hear them arguing. _Try as you might Haseo, nothing is going to happen this time. Atoli is the only one who will be able to fight this time and she's going to be all alone, _he thought quite pleased with himself.

* * *

Haseo was actually feeling a lot happier but his calm revere was broken when Azure Balmung suddenly grabbed his shoulder and summoned his weapon. "Danger...AIDA" the AI warned them. Before he could get over the shock of Balmung actually speaking, Atoli gasped and took step back, "Haseo look!" she cried, pointing to a collection of black dots that had appeared. Haseo gritted his teeth and immediately tried to summon his Avatar so he could take this AIDA down...but nothing happened. _What the?! _he thought confused when he didn't feel the familiar rush of power.

The arena emperor snarled and tried again, when nothing happened again Haseo shook his head. _Skeith! What's going on here? _he demanded angrily and he heard the Phase hiss angrily. _Something is interfering! I can't connect with you! That hacker is keeping me back somehow! Oh, I swear that human is going six feet under! Nobody messes with the Terror of Death! _Skeith responed and followed up with several colorful swear words. Haseo winced at the tone and volume of his Avatars voice, _Jeez, somehow I get the feeling that I haven't been a good influence on you, _he commented dryly when the AI finally stopped cursing.

Azure Balmung jumped forwards and tried to attack, but rather then hitting the attack when straight through, leaving Balmung flying towards the floor. Haseo clenched his fist and turned to Atoli, "I can't summon Skeith for some reason. Your going to have to summon Innis and fight it" he told her and she stared at the AIDA uneasily. Not that he could blame her after everything she'd been through because of AIDA. He hated the thought of her fighting out there without any hope of being backed up if something went wrong. Haseo grabbed her shoulder, "I don't blame you for being uneasy but there's no other option" he insisted and she snapped out of her revere. Atoli stood up taller and took a few steps towards Oswald who actually seemed to be waiting on them.

She was stronger now and she didn't need to be protected all the time._Please...lend me your strength, _Atoli thought calling her Avatar and she could feel the surge of energy within her. "Innis!" she called and the area changed to outer space as the Mirage of Deceit appeared. Atoli took a deep breath to calm her nerves; this was the first time she had actually fought AIDA. Even if this thing was just a fragment of what it used to be, it was still dangerous and shouldn't be underestimated. _Don't worry my lady, I will do my best to protect you, _Innis assured her and Atoli was surprised and grateful to hear her Avatar's voice.

_Thank you. Now let's take down this AIDA together! _Atoli thought as blue opaque blades appeared on the ends of the Avatar's hands. Oswald lifted its body and used Archene Shot to fire balls of silk at her, but Atoli avoided the attack by using Haze of Treason. Innis vanished and appeared behind Oswald, slashing at the AIDA twice before moving away. As she did so she could see thin slices of data missing. _This one is stronger then the Guardian Skeith fought. You must be careful, my lady, _Innis warned and Atoli nodded as Oswald used Kohbold Bullet. The attack send red energy flying towards the Avatar.

Atoli fought back by sending her own blue orbs flying out to stop the attack. Then she gave Innis an order and the AI dashed forward and sliced into Oswald with it's blades. But the spider retaliated with Arachno Trap, shooting out dozens of strands. One caught Innis in the arm Oswald and wrapped the Phase in a cocoon. The AIDA knocked the Mirage of Deceit back, taking a chunk out of the Avatar's health as well. Atoli winced as she felt a flash of pain travel through her body and an ache in her spine that lingered as Innis dashed away firing more blue orbs at Oswald.

_This battle is serious. If Innis gets hurt then I'm going to feel it as well, _she thought looking back at Haseo and Azure Balmung who were carefully watching her. "Atoli watch out!" Haseo warned and she snapped her attention back to the AIDA only to find that Oswald was inches from Innis' face. The spider lifted it's legs and impaled her, spearing straight through Innis body. Haseo's eyes widened as Innis grabbed the AIDA's legs and tried in vain to pull them out. But it was already too late and black dots shot down Oswald's legs and wrapped around the Avatar.

"ATOLI!" Haseo called out as Azure Balmung tried again to attack but to no avail. He tried again to summon Skeith but once again he wasn't able to. _Skeith! Can't you do anything?! _Haseo demanded wanting desperately to help Atoli, he couldn't let her get hurt again. He could hear Atoli screaming in pain and see Innis spasm as it tried in vain to free itself. But there was nothing he or Azure Balmung could do for her. Atoli...was on her own.

* * *

**AN:** How do you like them apples? Next chapter concludes the battle between Innis and Oswald, but other then that I'm not promising anything alright? My ideas change so much from day to day that it's ridiculous.

For example, Aura had nothing to do with this story originally but then my lovely muses came up with a brilliant idea and well there she is! You'll be seeing her in the future but for now we're focusing on the Eight Phases.

Thanks for all of the reviews! I've never gotten that many reviews for just two chapters before! I know it's not much of a record when you really think about it, but it's a record nonetheless and I'm proud of it! I'll have the next chapter up soon so please review everyone!


	4. Dark Illusionist

Chapter Four: Dark Illusionist

* * *

Haseo could only watch helplessly as Atoli struggled against the AIDA fragment. He clenched his fist as black dots danced around Innis's body. _Reaper's Sacrifice_ scrawled across the screen and suddenly the Avatar's body burst apart and blue spikes slammed into Oswald's body. The spider spasmed and backed off as Innis appeared behind the AIDA and hacked away at it, data coming apart with every hit. Finally Innis backed up and fired more blue energy blast's at Oswald who dodged them and used Kohbold Bullet again. Using it's blue blades Innis knocked them away and used Haze of Treason again.

This time Oswald turned around and blocked the attack with it's legs. Atoli moved back as she though about what to do. _This one isn't going to be easy to defeat. And I don't exactly have a lot of experience in dealing with AIDA, _she thought with a wince. That impalement hadn't really hurt and it was starting to slow her down. Epitaph users were bound to their Avatars; if Innis was hurt then Atoli would feel it as well. _I can't let myself get distracted, _she thought ready to attack again. _I have an idea that might work my lady...would you like me to take over? _Innis asked and Atoli hesitated.

On one hand Innis would probably have a much better chance of defeating this AIDA, but on the other hand if the Avatar failed and got hurt again then Atoli didn't know if she'd have the strength to keep fighting. She was in a lot of pain from trying to fend off Oswald earlier and preventing it from taking over her Epitaph. _Okay...I trust you Innis, _Atoli finally said as she let the Mirage of Deceit take control and the second she did the words _Dark Illusionist _came up and Innis split into several copies that all circled Oswald until they blended together.

The AIDA looked back and forth firing off attacks, but when ever it hit one copy, another would take it's place. The entire area turned jet black so that nothing could be seen, save for the occasional flashes when Innis used it's blades to attack. There was a loud scream and Haseo clenched his fist, _What's going on? What's happening? Skeith! Can't you do something?! _he demanded and received a snarl from the Terror of Death, _What do you think I've been doing?! That hacker is keeping me back somehow! I swear if we ever meet face-to-face he's going to get a taste of my scythe! _Skeith snapped at him, clearly frustrated at not being able to take part in the action.

Finally some of the darkness cleared, revealing..._Skeith?_Haseo rubbed his eyes but he was seeing things correctly. That white figure now fighting Oswald was Skeith. _But how? Did Atoli change one of her Innis copies into a duplicate of Skeith? _he thought watching as the white figure dashed forward, slamming it's scythe into the AIDA, sending energy shockwaves into the spiders body as well. Before Oswald could recover, Innis-or maybe a copy, Haseo couldn't really tell-fired several shots off before stabbing straight into the AIDA's body and slicing through it.

Protect break appeared and Innis prepared to use data drain. The fake 'Skeith' kept the spider distracted so the Mirage of Deceit could power up. When the attack was ready Innis fired off the data drain and Oswald's body peeled apart into strings of data that were absorbed by Innis. When the last of the AIDA was gone, Skeith disappeared and the treasure room and beast statue reappeared.

Atoli floated back down to the ground and nearly collapsed, but Haseo caught her just in time as Azure Balmung walked up next to them. Static danced in front of them as the AIDA server was withdrawn. He carefully set her down on the ground, "Atoli! Are you okay?" he asked his voice brimming with concern. For a moment Atoli was to exhausted from the battle to respond. It was her first time really fighting with her Avatar, and it had taken a lot out of her. Haseo shook her roughly, "ATOLI!" he shouted almost desperately, panic starting to color his voice. She winced and managed to open her eyes, "I'll be okay Haseo. That...that fight just took...a lot out of me" she explained weakly. "I just...I just need to rest for a minute" Atoli panted closing her eyes again as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Haseo's shoulders sagged with relief, "Don't do that to me again. I was...worried about you..." he confessed and Atoli forced a smile, "I'm sorry...I guess I should have spent more time in the simulator hunh?" she asked trying to alleviate some of his concern. But the adept rouge merely frowned in response. When Atoli finally recovered her strength, Haseo helped her stand up. But didn't remove his arm from her. "Are you sure your alright?" he finally asked when he noticed her uneasy fidgeting. Atoli nodded but then felt a wave of dizziness, "I'll...be okay in few minutes. Really you don't need to worry about me" she responded but Haseo's face dropped into a deep scowl as she spoke those words.

Azure Balmung was standing impatiently next to platform. Atoli forced another smile and Haseo finally relented and looked away, "Fine..I'm going back to town then" he stated his voice turning harsh all of a sudden. He warped out of the area; Azure Balmung following him. Atoli stared at the spot where he had just been and sighed heavily.

_He seemed really upset over what happened. If I hadn't been able to fight off that AIDA...there's nothing Haseo could have done to help me, _Atoli thought realizing that fact for the first time. During the battle she had been to focused on staying alive to worry about anything else._I...guess I really scared him out there, _she thought feeling bad. _I should get out of here before Haseo starts worrying again, _Atoli thought, when she realized she'd been standing there for nearly 3 minutes straight, immediately she warped back to Breg Epona.

* * *

Aihane was more than satisfied with the performance Innis had put up just now. _And that last trick it pulled was quite interesting as well, _he thought analyzing the information he had gathered during the battle._Innis was able to not only create duplicates of itself, but was able to create a perfect imitation of Skeith as well. An imitation that was just as strong and just as fast as the original, _he reflected as he saved the data and stored it in a high security file.

_Skeith and Innis will be the most vital factor when it comes to capturing the other Phases. Now that the Mirage of Deceit is implanted with one of my devices as well, things should begin falling into place. Magus and Fidchell are the ones I will target next, _Aihane thought as he looked through all of the information he had gathered on Kuhn and Yata. _Yata has little experience in using his Avatar...but he is not one to be underestimated. He knows more about 'The World' then most people ever will. Not just the game that all of the users see, but the hidden areas that exist under the surface. If must be careful, otherwise he will begin to discover my plan, _Aihane warned himself.

A beeping from his second computer distracted him from his thoughts. "Well, it would seem that Azure Balmung is on the move" Aihane stated as two screens came up on the monitor. One showed strings of computer code that were disecting the AI's precise location so that a 'spike' could be placed as Aihane called them. A 'data spike' would be placed in the area where Azure Balmung ended up so that an AIDA could be sent there directly to gather more information. The other screen analyzed the area code itself, determining what and where the place was exactly. _No doubt he's going to report back to his companions or even to Aura herself, _Aihane thought as he watched the programs run their course.

But suddenly Azure Balmung stopped and both computers began wailing alarms as static danced across the monitors and warnings popped up.Warning Data Purge! Warning DaTAaA PuRGeE showed up before the words and letters on the screen started mixing together and disappearing. Aihane immediately leapt into action, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he worked to isolate the affected files as they continued to be eaten away. Less than a minute later they were completely gone. _So my little trick has failed. Azure Balmung is more intelligent then I suspected, he was able to trace back to my computer and destroy some of the information on it, _he thought with a frown as he ran a program that would begin collecting any data that might be left.

Of course all the was assembled were garbled bits and pieces that made no sense whatsoever. Aihane smirked, _And he was able to do that in under a minute, _he thought quite satisfied. The data purge Azure Balmung had sent had destroyed all of his data on Kuhn and Yata and not just the information Aihane had on screen at the time, but all of the files that were attached to that information as well. _Just you wait...one day the Azure Knights will fall along with Aura...one day, _he thought as the screen flashed the words: Data trace lost. Data spike failed. Area location unknown.

* * *

Haseo was getting ready to send Atoli a flash mail to see if she was alright when she appeared beside him. Immediately she bowed deeply to him, "Sorry! I started thinking about the battle with AIDA and I got a bit distracted" Atoli admitted sheepishly as he glared at her. When he said nothing she continued, "I really didn't mean to make you worry Haseo...I was just doing my best to help everyone out" she added glancing up at him hesitantly as he continued looking at her. There were so many things running through his head at the moment.

Haseo was furious, frustrated, and scared all at the same time; he was angry with himself for not being able to do anything during the fight and he was frustrated because he hated feeling so helpless. It brought back too many memories of what had happened to Shino and Alkaid. _What if Atoli hadn't been able to fight off Oswald? What if her Epitaph was stolen again? What if she had become a lost one? _he thought closing his eyes. All he could think about were all the things that could have gone wrong. How badly things could have turned out for her.

_Yelling at her isn't going to change anything. The AIDA is gone, the Mirage of Deceit wasn't hurt, and neither was Innis. I'd say things went rather well actually. Your overreacting brat, settle down before you pop a blood vessel or something, _Skeith's voice was calm and rational and it helped to ease Haseo's worries. Atoli fidgeted uneasily at his silence, "There was nothing else you could do...Innis was the only one who could fight..." she began but the adept rouge cut her off, "Log off" he snapped looking away from her.

The harvest cleric winced slightly from his tone, "I'm didn't mean to..." Atoli tried to say but fell silent when he turned and frowned at her. She stared at the ground and waited for Haseo's raging temper to come crashing down on her as it usually did. But she was surprised when she heard him sigh, "You've been through a lot today...you should log off and take it easy" Haseo finally grunted out and Atoli stared at him with surprise evident on her face. That was the last thing she had been expecting, "I know your angry and I just..." she tried to apologize but he let his arms drop to his sides and clenched his fists.

"Atoli..." he voice came out at a dangerously low level. Haseo took a deep breath and let it out, _Stay calm, I can't blow up at her again. She's already been through enough without me getting angry at her like I usually do, _he thought not wanting to upset her. He wanted to see her happy and enjoying the game, not depressed and crying because of some foolish comment he'd made. "Please...just go before I say something I know I'm going to regret" Haseo requested, his voice tight and almost pleading.

Atoli was quite as she considered that; he had really changed and come a long way. Normally he would have been yelling at her by now, but instead he was controlling his temper and doing his best to spare her feelings. She nodded, "Your right...I am pretty tired but you'll send me an e-mail if anything else happens...right?" Atoli asked hesitantly, feeling that she might be pushing things a little too far. Haseo nodded and just as she began to log out she though she heard him say something, "Please take care of yourself Atoli...I'm worried about you," but she wasn't sure if she really heard Haseo say that or not.

* * *

An hour later Shino stood next to Haseo on one of Mac Anu's bridges. They were currently in 'party chat' so no one else could hear them. She looked over at him, "So AIDA fragments are starting to appear? I haven't seen anything on the forums so they must be targeting Epitaph Users specifically" she commented and Haseo hummed at that. She was originally the user Innis had chosen, but when she fell into a coma the Avatar had gravitated to Atoli instead. As a result Shino had been told everything that had happened with AIDA, the Epitaph Users, and The World. Considering that she might have been an Epitaph User at one time, Yata had seen fit to tell her everything that he knew.

Haseo had his arms crossed and rested his chin on his arms as he thought about what had happened, "I've been able to hear him lately...Skeith I mean" he said looking out over the canal. "He said that someone is controlling the AIDA fragments that are remaining and Yata didn't dispute it" he finally responded and Shino nodded, "If AIDA was separated then that would make it a lot easier to control them. And if someone had a problem with the Epitaph Users...then it would make sense to send a few of them after you to test your strength" she continued turning her back to the rail.

Haseo narrowed his eyes as a thought came to him, "Epitaphs draw AIDA...and AIDA draws Epitaphs...that's what Ovan told me at the Hulle Granz Cathedral" he remembered. He stood up straighter, "I think that this hacker is attacking us for a reason. This just doesn't add up properly...there are too many things we don't know at the moment. Atoli said that something didn't feel right...and after what happened earlier today...I can't deny that something big is going on. That hacker not only sent and AIDA after us...but they were able to prevent Skeith and Azure Balmung from attacking. Computer skills like that mean this guy is serious" Haseo concluded and Shino looked over at him.

"I think you should listen to Atoli, Haseo...something big IS happening here...I just hope it's not too late when we figure out what it is that's going on" Shino warned him as a flash mail came. Haseo grunted, "Message from Yata. I have to go" he said disbanding the party. Shino stared out over the water as he walked away, "Haseo?" she said before he got too far away. He looked over his shoulder, "Yeah? What is it?" he questioned curiously. She gave a tiny smile, "Atoli is a nice girl and she's just trying to help. Don't be to harsh on her okay?" she asked slyly and Haseo turned slightly red, "What?! I...we...you...we're just friends!" he finally stammered out.

Shino's smile merely broadened, she'd known him long enough to see straight through his denial. "Mmmm, if you say so Haseo" she hummed pleasantly as he headed off. _He's really opened up. It's good to see that he's making friends rather than being the outcast all the time, _she thought before logging out.

* * *

Danger..Aura could sense it at the farthest reaches of her senses. But at the same time she knew that there was nothing she could do about it. When 'The World' R:2 had been designed, CC Corp had set up several programs that would distribute Aura's power in such a way so that she would go back into her 'dormant' or 'sleeping' state. When she was like this, she was aware of what was going on around her and in 'The World' but her abilities were limited. The Eight Phases of Morganna were the ones who had to protect the world now. _But even they may not be enough, _Aura considered opening her eyes and viewing the strings of computer code flying at light speed around her. She was able to compute and understand everything even as it surrounded her like this.

Azure Balmung had seen fit to report to her about the AIDA that showed up earlier. And it was disturbing to find out that the AIDA fragments were now being controlled. _A hacker that is targeting the little children of Morganna...what could he possibly want with them? What is he planning? _she thought calling her Azure Knights. Silently she ordered them to go to Net Slum Tartarga along with the other users and see what Yata had discovered. Getting a human point of view would help to solve this puzzle. These attacks were too coordinated, too organized to be the work of just any person.

_Whoever's causing these attacks knows what he's doing...every move is almost perfect. This hacker leaves no traces, nothing that shows he was there._ Aura wished she could do more to help the Epitaph Users but she was still 'sleeping'. _They must figure out what's going on...otherwise the entire internet could be in danger. I don't know what exactly this hacker is planning, but if he succeeds...then I fear that nothing will be able to stop him,_Aura thought with a slight tremor of fear.

* * *

**AN:** Plenty of things happened in this chapter and there is plenty more action to come! BTW just to let you know this IS a HaseoxAtoli pairing so while I did throw Shino in there you don't have to worry about her interfering. She was friends with Haseo before he met Atoli so she'll be making some appearances to lend him advice. Besides I've always gotten the impression that she was attracted to Ovan if anything...

Shino isn't my _favorite_ character but it's not like I hate her or anything, she's...okay, I guess. So anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter Yata holds another meeting and Aihane tests out his skills on some poor innocent players. Stay tuned and please review everyone! Next chapter will be up ASAP! I promise this time!


	5. Training Together

**AN:** Thank you for the reviews everyone! It's so good to know that there are people who actually enjoy my twisted ideas. I was going to have Aihane target some regular players but I came up with a better idea. So instead Haseo and Atoli will be spending some time together. :P

Not much else to say this time so just read on people, read on!

Chapter Five: Training Together

* * *

When Haseo finally arrived at the bridge of Net Slum Tartarga he was surprised to find the three Azure Knights there waiting with everyone else. Kite, Orca, and Balmung all nodded to Haseo as he walked up beside Kuhn. He crossed his arms as Pi adjusted her glasses, "And where is the young lady? I thought I saw her with you earlier" she questioned curiously. Haseo was quiet for a moment as he decided how to phrase this. "We ran into AIDA earlier today…. so Atoli logged off to get some rest" he explained simply.

Yata's expression said he clearly thought there was more to the story than that, but he decided to let it go. "Then you can fill her in later on," he ordered and Haseo merely grunted in acknowledgement. Turning his attention back to the group, Yata's eyes rested on the Azure Knights for a moment before he began speaking again. "Its been confirmed that the AIDA fragments that attacked Haseo the other day were indeed being controlled by an outside source" he told them as the battle footage ran again. It displayed the fight between Skeith and the AIDA Guardian's.

With a wave of his hand Yata changed the screen to a string of numbers and various codes. "When I tried to trace back to the computer that was being used to control AIDA…these were all I came up with," he added and Kuhn narrowed his eyes, "Those look like computer identification codes" he commented leaning forward to look at the display. Yata nodded, "Here in Japan all computers linked up to the Internet are now required to have an individual code number. That number is used to identify who is online at any given time. It's how CC Corp and other companies keep track of their players here and all over the world," he informed as the screen began scrolling through the list.

Saku frowned, "There must be hundreds there! There's no way they could all be controlling AIDA!" she objected and Yata gave a grim smile. "Technically you _should_ be correct. Yet all the evidence so far says otherwise. According to the data I found, all of these computers were supposedly controlling AIDA…yet when I checked…none of these computers were in use anymore," Yata said as the words _No Longer In Use_ appeared next to all of the codes. "The hacker we're dealing with would have to be even better then the legendary Helba in order to hide their tracks this well. And if they have that level of skill, then controlling the pitiful AIDA fragments that are left over would be a simple task" Yata concluded.

Kuhn shook his head, "So odds are we may never find out who's behind all of this," he stated angrily. "And I thought we'd finally seen the last of The World's problems" he said bitterly. Pi who had been deep in thought looked up, "This hacker knows what their doing, and they even have the ability to set up an AIDA server on their own. To do that would mean hacking AIDA itself and rewriting almost all of its data. While they may just be fragments now…affecting one's data would affect all of the other AIDA fragments as well," she thought aloud.

Yata waved his hand and the screen switched to a snap shot that showed Skeith attacking the Guardian at close range. "Those tears in AIDA's body mean that the data is very unstable. Such an unstable state would make it weak and very easy to control…if you knew what you were doing that is" Yata added the last part somewhat cryptically.

Haseo narrowed his eyes at that information. Yata noticed his expression and turned towards him, "So…would you mind telling me what _else_ happened today?" he requested and reluctantly the arena emperor gave over the area words where they had been attacked. "I was in a party with Atoli and Azure Balmung," he grunted motioning to the three silent AI's standing behind him. "When we got to the Beast Statue an Oswald appeared and attacked us," Haseo continued as the display screen began running footage of the battle.

Saku sneered at him, "What? You sent Atoli in there? Letting others do your fighting now? Why didn't you summon Skeith and leap in headfirst like you normally do?" she asked and Haseo tensed up at her words. "I didn't have a choice! If I could have done something I would have!" he shouted and everyone stared at him in surprise. Yata cleared his throat and Haseo settled down. He was still feeling uneasy from the fight earlier and didn't take kindly to Saku's accusations.

Haseo clenched his fists, "I tried…but I couldn't summon Skeith at all. Balmung's attacks didn't have any effect either…" he continued his voice low. "There was nothing I could do to help. The AIDA server that hacker set up was even able to entirely suppress Skeith's abilities" he was still frustrated and angry with himself. In fact he could almost sense Skeith's displeasure with the whole situation as well. _YOUR DARN RIGHT I'M UPSET! NOBODY GETS IN MY WAY AND GETS AWAY WITH IT! I'M NOT CALLED THE TERROR OF DEATH FOR NOTHING! _The Phase suddenly shouted, and Haseo winced from the force of his Avatar's voice. He sighed and rubbed his forehead; the last thing he needed today was Skeith's angry voice in his head.

Yata frowned and turned his back on them so he could stare up at the screen, "At first…CC Corp was able to partially rewrite the data of all Eight Phases. But soon their plan backfired and the Avatar's escaped into The World where they eventually found all of us" he sounded greatly disturbed by this information. Pi fidgeted slightly, "Master Yata?" she asked hesitantly but he ignored her and shook his head, "But now…the reason CC Corp has not restricted use of our Avatar's…. is because they can't" Yata continued looking down.

"The Eight Phases of Morganna have progressed to the point where it is impossible for outside sources to control them. CC Corp has tried every method imaginable to contain their power…but nothing so far has worked. Their outer appearances and basic fighting abilities could be changed, but their core data is impregnable. It's invulnerable to hacking and tampering," Yata whispered with a shake of his head. "They flew in the best hackers and technicians in the world; but no one could fully control the power of the Avatar's" he was obviously worried by this development.

Kuhn stared at the screen, "So for this hacker to suppress an Avatar completely… they would have to be better then anyone we've ever encountered before…wouldn't they?" he questioned and for a moment Yata didn't answer. "Aura, the Azure Knights, AIDA, and the Eight Phases…it was thought that they were the only programs in the entire world…whose central or core data could not be rewritten or changed in any way" he finally responded turning around so he could stare at Kite, Orca, and Balmung who seemed to be paying close attention

Yata looked back up at the screen, which was on a loop and kept replaying the fight between Innis and Oswald. "Someone who can rewrite and control AIDA completely, suppress the Avatar's, and even create various servers. If this hacker can do so much already… then I can't help but wonder what they must be planning for the future. And why they could possibly be targeting the Epitaph Users" Yata whispered and Haseo felt a wave of uneasiness pass through him. But it wasn't until much later that he realized the feeling had not come from him…but from Skeith.

After going to Canard's newly updated Home and checking up on a few things, Haseo decided to call it quits for the day. Logging off Ryou Misaki sighed and leaned back in his chair. _Even Yata was concerned…and he doesn't seem to let anything affect him_, he thought closing his eyes. It had barely been two days and already Yata was worried about what was going to happen. This certainly didn't bode well for the future of 'The World'.

_Just who is this hacker anyway? This guy controls AIDA on a level that Sakaki could only dream about. Not only that…but he suppressed my Avatar so that Atoli would be forced to use Innis to fight against Oswald; _Ryou scowled and sat up straight. But hadn't Yata just said that Aura, the Azure Knights, and the Eight Phases couldn't have their data changed? That they were too advanced now or something? He growled and went to his e-mail, _This is making my head hurt. But I guess I need to let Atoli know what happened at the meeting while it's still fresh in my head, _he thought as he began typing.

When Ryou finished he hit 'send' and collapsed on his bed, "First I get attacked by some demented hacker who controls AIDA, then Skeith starts talking to me, then we get attacked by Oswald and there's nothing I can do to help," he said ticking off everything that had happened on his fingers. "And now I find out that the guy who's targeting me and the other Epitaph Users is some freak that we'll probably never track down and/or stop" Ryou grumbled angrily. "Did I happen to forget anything?" he demanded in clear frustration. _That sounded about right to me brat, _a familiar voice suddenly put in.

Bolting upright Ryou narrowed his eyes, "Skeith?" he asked hesitantly but of course received no reply. Shaking his head he lay down and pulled a nearby blanket over his eyes. There was no way that Skeith could be talking to him now; the Terror of Death only existed online. _Great, now I'm talking to myself and hearing voices in my head, _he thought as exhaustion finally took him.

* * *

Days passed with no sign of AIDA. Ryou merely logged into The World and took care of his responsibilities as Guild Master such as helping Silabus and Gaspard take care of some noobs. Challengers from the arena had started tapering off now that the tournament had concluded. AIDA had also attacked Kuhn, Yata, and Sakubo. Unfortunately no new information about what was going on had been found.

Ryou hadn't heard from Atoli either and even Matsu commented on her sudden absence from the world. She hadn't responded to his e-mail and every time he'd checked the Harvest Cleric was busy. He was currently on his way home from work, _What could have happened to her? _he thought unlocking the door and walking inside the house. His mother forced him to sit down and eat something first before he ran off to his computer once again.

When he had finished eating he changed clothes and checked his e-mail. Immediately Ryou saw a new message from Atoli that read:

Hello Haseo!

I'm so sorry! I would have responded sooner but I've been busy with school exams and helping out the other members who used to be in Moon Tree. So much has been going on that I…kind of forget about you…I'm sorry! But I did read your message a couple of times and I have to admit I'm really worried about what's happening…so I thought I would ask a favor of you. Please come to the bridge of Net Slum Tartarga.

Atoli

Ryou sighed, _That is so like her. Here she is getting me worked up over nothing, _he thought logging into The World. He switched from the Delta server to Net Slum and walked towards the bridge. When he got there he found Atoli waiting for him; she looked up and smiled warmly. "Hey, Haseo! I'm sorry for worrying you like I did the other day. But that attack is part of the reason why I asked you to come here," Atoli explained turning to look out the window.

She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, "I'm tired of always having other's protect me…I want to be able to help you and everyone else, but I don't have that much experience with using my Avatar. So I wanted to know…if you would be willing to train with me?" Atoli asked hesitantly. Haseo frowned and crossed his arms as he considered that. "This hacker is already targeting us individually. What happens if I run into AIDA when I'm out by myself? Or helping out some other guild members?" she continued with firm determination.

Haseo gritted his teeth at those words; she had a really good point. _Atoli's right…she can't always depend on others. One day she's going to get caught all by herself and no one else will be around to help her, _he grudgingly accepted the truth in her words. Atoli turned around and stared back firmly, "I need to become better at using Innis in battle. So I thought it would be best if I trained against you. You and Skeith really have a lot of experience at this" she added looking up at him hopefully.

_Girls got a point brat; can't jump in and save her every time you know. Besides it would be fun to test my skills against Innis, _Skeith was clearly smug. Haseo twitched angrily at the nickname. _Would you stop calling me that already! _he demanded before looking up, "Tartarga…set up an outer space field for us. Run simulation…Skeith vs. Innis," he ordered and the display changed to the familiar endless expanse that always appeared when an Avatar was summoned.

Atoli called forth Innis and crossed her blades. Haseo's body glowed red as Skeith's snow white form appeared. "This is a serious battle understand? Avatar's have a lot power and should never be underestimated. In a real battle you should always think seriously before using data drain" he demanded remembering his battle with Kuhn and his Epitaph Magus. _Things could have been a lot worse that time,_ Haseo remembered as the pulsing scythe appeared in Skeith's right hand.

Innis nodded slowly, "I'll try my best Haseo!" Atoli promised as a tingle of excitement and nervousness ran through her. Skeith dashed forwards and the battle began.

* * *

Aihane was examining the data he had obtained from the battles with Magus, Fidchell, and Gorre. He was quite pleased with the way they all had fought. But it was clear that Haseo and Atoli were still much better at using their Avatars. The other Epitaph Users had a tendency to suppress their Phases power for fear they would lose control; Kuhn, Yata, and Pi were good examples of that. Sakubo's twin nature meant that full control was constantly fluctuating back and forth.

As for Endrance…he was more difficult to get a handle on. Even Aihane had failed to understand his fighting style, even after hours of observation. Haseo and Atoli on the other hand allowed their Avatar's strength to flow freely through their bodies as they fought. Doing so allowed them to 'connect' to Skeith and Innis on a far deeper level and to a certain subconscious degree they could even synchronize their thoughts with those of the Avatars they were using.

Aihane turned his thoughts back to the three Epitaph Users he had just finished targeting. Kuhn had more experience but he was far too cautious; Yata needed more time to grow accustomed to the power he now wielded. Sakubo was…a bit strange to say the least. When controlling Gorre together, Saku and Bo's attack pattern was rough, uncoordinated, and haphazard. But it was that same unpredictable style of attack that made them so difficult to defeat.

He had also implanted his special slave devices inside the three Phases. His special programs were dormant at the moment but soon enough they would be activated and the Eight Phases of Morganna would belong to him. The devices Aihane had created would latch onto and fuse with the data of the first thing that touched it. That was how he had managed to insert them into the Avatar's so easily. The moment they landed their first attack on one of those AIDA fragments, the slave device had transferred itself to the Phase that had attacked it, fusing with the AI's data so that it would go unnoticed.

_I know that Yata is worried about my level of skill and the fact that he doesn't know what I'm planning, _Aihane thought with a smirk. There was nothing anyone could to stop him now that AIDA was under his control. _Those fools Sakaki and Ovan may have thought that they could control AIDA…but in the end they were merely being manipulated and controlled themselves, _he considered as he tracked Endrance's progress through The World. He clicked his mouse and sent a Guardian into the data streams of the game.

_Macha and Endrance have a troubled past, so it will be interesting to see how well he can use his Avatar now,_ Aihane thought with twisted pleasure. Of course he had been studying Macha carefully and had a lot in store for the computer introvert. After Endrance would come Pi and then he would focus on recovering Corbenik. _Everything is running smoothly so far. It's only a matter of time…as long as I don't rush anything than I'll have nothing to worry about, _Aihane warned himself.

* * *

Haseo was shocked to say the least. He'd been fighting against Atoli for just over an hour and he couldn't believe how well she was doing. The Harvest Cleric was catching on quickly and Haseo found himself defending more and more. Seeing an opening he ordered Skeith forward and the Avatar immediately responded. Innis swung one of its blades but Skeith grabbed its wrist and spun the other Avatar around so that it's arm was pinned. Then Skeith brought his scythe to the Mirage of Deceit's neck.

Inwardly Haseo was quite pleased with his, _Whose?_ Skeith immediately demanded and his user sighed, okay his AND Skeith's performance. _And don't you forget it either! _The Terror of Death added. Haseo snorted, _Like you would ever let that happen, _he fired back before turning his attention back to Atoli who was still struggling. "That's 11 wins and 12 losses isn't it?" he asked sounding smug.

Suddenly pair of blue opaque blades were at Skeith's neck. Looking back Haseo saw another Innis behind him; turning to where he thought Atoli had been, he was surprised when the Innis in his hands suddenly vanished. Growling to himself he could hear Atoli giggle happily, "Sorry Haseo. Looks like one of our copies fooled you again" she commented with another giggle. "So I guess that makes 12 wins for me and 11 losses for you right?" she added and her friend merely grunted in response. "Are you going to let me go or not?" Haseo demanded clearly annoyed at being bested by her. Atoli release her grip on him and he floated away.

"I think that's enough practice for today." Haseo told her and they both recalled their Avatars. The bridge of Tartarga reappeared and he rubbed his neck in irritation. Atoli resisted the urge to laugh at him again, "Well, you DID tell me it was a serious battle," she reminded him. Haseo crossed his arms, "Yeah, but I didn't know you would do so well. I can't believe how strong you've gotten in just this short time. Get any better and I'll need protection from YOU," he finally admitted with a tolerant smirk and she blushed slightly.

Noticing her expression Haseo's face dropped into a frown, "What's with you?" he questioned and Atoli tilted her head, "That's…the first time you've really complimented me" she said softly and Haseo seemed surprised. Of course most people wouldn't call it a 'compliment' but she was used to Haseo's way of talking by now. Looking away he rubbed his neck, "Oh…well..." he wasn't sure what to say about that. He wasn't the most 'expressive' guy in the world after all. In fact Shino was always badgering him about the way he keep everything to himself.

In truth he really didn't mind spending time with Atoli; in fact he found himself enjoying it more and more. _I guess if you look at it from another point of view I __**have**__ been calling on her a lot…and not thanking her for any of her help. If it weren't for her I never would have made it through the arena, _he considered taking a deep breath. "Atoli…I" Haseo paused and fidgeted a bit. She stared at him, "Yes? What is it?" she asked curiously.

Mumbling something to himself he crossed his arms. "I…really appreciate all of your help. You've really come through for me on a lot of occasions and I…I wouldn't have made it through the arena without you. I wouldn't have been able to help Shino, Alkaid, Sirius, and all of the other lost ones either" Haseo admitted slowly. Atoli's jaw nearly dropped open at his words. Not sure she heard right she blinked in surprise, "Uhh…pardon?" she **had** to be hearing things.

Haseo flushed and looked away, "I just wanted you to know that there are people here who…really appreciate your help and support. Your not a bad person Atoli…you just need to have more confidence in yourself and your own abilities" he concluded feeling stupid and out of place. Atoli blushed again, "That…that really means a lot to me Haseo" she said and he could tell that she was genuinely grateful.

"More then you'll ever know" she whispered to herself and he raised an eyebrow at those words, "What was that?" he asked and she stammered out an excuse. "Oh! Well I um…I have to get going now! I'm supposed to meet Matsu and Saphora in Breg Epona!" she said bowing quickly before hurrying out of the area, and as she went Haseo was watching her with what some might call a genuine smile.

* * *

**AN:** Awww, so Haseo finally shows some gratitude for what Atoli's done. Don't you just love the fluff?

Next chapter Sakaki reappears! Of course he doesn't remember anything that happened so when he runs into Atoli…well just stay tuned everybody and you'll find out what happens next! So go down, click that pretty little button, and send a review about this chapter!


	6. Past Encounters

**AN:** This chapter will explore the relationship between Endrance, Macha, and Mia. Plus this being my first .hack/G.U. fic I'm not exactly sure how to portray Endrance…he's…a bit strange to say the least. Most of you _are_ aware of the fact that Elk and Endrance are the same person right? Or rather their player is at least...

But let us not forget about Atoli either! She's going to meet and 'old friend' so to speak and it doesn't go down well. So read on and enjoy.

Chapter Six: Past Encounters

* * *

Endrance was by himself once again, enjoying a rainy field that he had chosen at random. He'd always loved the rain and overcast sky here; there was nothing else like it. But as much as he would have liked to just sit and enjoy the field as usual, there was much to think about now that AIDA had started appearing again and the thought that was foremost in his mind was Mia. When he first encountered AIDA it had taken the shape of a cat, using his fond memories of Mia to control him. _Things have changed now…I won't allow my past to decide my future…it's not what Mia would want me to do, _he thought watching a slepnir that was to his left.

The Avatars had begun talking to their users and Macha had been trying to talk to him as well but he didn't respond to her questions and entreaties. Endrance had never really resolved his feelings on the whole Mia really being Macha thing. They were technically the same creature but had separate personalities at the same time. It was a subject that he generally avoided, but still he knew it was one that must be touched on at some point.

Deep in his heart Endrance knew that a part him resented Macha. Why did the Phase choose him of all people to be her user? Why couldn't she leave him alone? Knowing she was there only served to remind him of Mia. Endrance had tried to get over her but when Macha chose him as her partner, it had brought up all of his old feelings once again. Then when Haseo had defeated him in battle and separated him from AIDA, Endrance had wander aimlessly for a while before the adept rouge said that he needed his help.

With those words he had finally been able to put Mia behind him and move on with his life. Endrance had been overjoyed with the knowledge that Haseo needed his help. Before he had always depended on Mia or Kite; he'd always followed behind someone else. But now he was a person that others could follow and depend on. Endrance thought he had moved on until Macha started talking to him. Now all he could felt in his heart was resentment and pain.

Endrance also knew that at some point AIDA would attack him and when that time came he would have to fight with Macha once again. But what was the true purpose behind these attacks? What did this hacker want with the Avatar's? _If this person can control AIDA then it's only a matter of time before they come up with a way to control the Eight Phases of Morganna as well, _Endrance considered as he walked into the Beast Temple. He opened the treasure chest and took the item from it.

Before he could do anything else static danced across the screen and a mass of black dots appeared in front of him. Slowly the fish-like AIDA known as Helen appeared above him and Endrance stared up at it calmly. Once AIDA had controlled him but he would never allow that to happen again. Not when there were other people counting on him, not as long as Haseo still needed his help.

His body glowed purple as he summoned Macha and prepared to fight. Helen didn't waste time but instead dashed forward with Lisp Tackle; Endrance moved out of the way as it blew past its body flailing back and forth. Macha's hands glowed orange as he ordered her to attack and orange rings flew from the Temptress' claws and slammed into Helen slicing thin pieces of data from it, but the AIDA didn't seem affected by the attack. _This one is strong; I'll have to be careful,_ he thought sending his Avatar forward to slash at the fish with her claws but Helen 'swam' out of the way firing white energy blasts at him.

Endrance grunted as the energy connected and he felt a flash of pain. Macha hissed angrily and dodged once again as Helen turned to the side and used Prolog Laser, the black beams missing the Phase by mere inches. Turning quickly Macha took control and retaliated with Seductive Voice the numerous sound waves slamming into the AIDA, leaving rings on its body where the attack had peeled the data away.

Helen didn't allow that to stop it and instead used Pascal Bullet, the pink energy circling towards the Temptress as it used its claws to knock them away as they came. But just as the last two Bullets were about to hit the AIDA burst threw through with Lisp Tackle slamming into Macha and hitting it several times before moving away. It used Prolog Laser again before the Phase could recover and the black beams made direct contact.

Endrance felt more pain shoot through him as Macha used Bewitching Wind; rose petals circling its body as Helen tried Lisp Tackle but was stopped by the attack Macha had used. More data peeled away as rose petals tore into the AIDA, and the Phase used her claws to continue attacking. "Not bad Endrance, not bad at all" a voice suddenly came from the AIDA as it moved back and circled him.

"But I find your style of battle confusing. At times you control Macha and at other time you let her do as you wish…now why is that?" the omnipresent voice questioned. Endrance was surprised and several thoughts ran through his head, _Is this the one who's controlling AIDA? _he thought curiously. _It is, I can sense it. Don't talk to him and don't trust anything he says, _Macha warned him and immediately sensed her users slight displeasure at her comment. _I'm just trying to help… _she added sounding somewhat hurt.

Endrance ignored her as the voice continued, "All she wants is to help you in any way she can and yet you continually ignore her…how sad" it commented mockingly. He frowned inwardly at that, "Who are you? And why are you sending AIDA after me?" Endrance questioned calmly. There was a laugh, "If you haven't figured that out then I'm sure not going to tell you" it responded as Helen used Prolog Laser once again catching the Phase in the side. Macha responded immediately with Bolt of Love, the flowers circled fish, firing lasers at it.

_Are you all right? I know that attack really hurt you, _the Temptress questioned but Endrance ignored her inquiry once again. "Controlling AIDA shouldn't be possible. You must be a skilled hacker in order to make them your personal slaves" he commented as Helen circled them once again. "Your far more intelligent then others give you credit for being, yet you remain in the background and blindly follow Haseo's every move" it commented brushing aside Endrance's statement.

The former Demon Palace Emperor felt a flash of irritation at that, "Haseo was the one who saved me from AIDA. He's my friend…I owe him everything" Endrance replied, anger coloring his voice. _He's just trying to get under your skin. Let me get rid of this AIDA for good so this hacker can't bother us, _Macha asked ready to attack again. _No. We need to find out more information, _he responded sternly and could feel her disappointment once again.

The hackers voice came once again, "You should really trust your Avatar more. She's gone through so much to connect with you again. After everything Mia and Macha went through I guess it's not surprising that the Temptress would seek you out. So why not give her a chance to prove herself? It would make things a lot easier on all of you. Because these AIDA are going to keep coming after you, or should I say that I'm going to keep sending them after you?" it asked mockingly.

Endrance was starting to put the pieces together, "You want to control them…you want the Eight Phases of Morganna for yourself" he suddenly understood. The voice laughed, "I always knew you were smart! But I wonder…is there anything you can do to stop me? Keep fighting AIDA and maybe you'll find out…or maybe you won't. Guess we'll all find out won't we?" the hacker sneered before Helen used Lisp Tackle again.

Thinking quickly Endrance ordered Macha to move aside and then fired more orange energy rings at the fish making contact and causing a Protect Break even as the data started coming apart. Quickly powering up, Macha fired off Data Drain absorbing the crumbling data and destroying the AIDA. With the battle over, the field returned to normal and he floated back down to the floor.

Endrance stared up at the spot where the AIDA had just been, and reflected on the battle that had just occurred. So many things had been said…but were any of them true? _I remembered you, _Macha suddenly confirmed her voice gentle. _I didn't know how…just that we had met somewhere, sometime before, _the Temptress added carefully.

Walking out of the Beast Temple, Endrance listened but didn't bother to answer. _I know the thought of Mia causes you pain…I wish we could have met each other face-to-face. It's strange…I know that technically speaking I was always the larger, more dominant part of Mia. That no matter what happened she would have been sacrificed so I could be released; but despite that…I still feel as if a part of me is missing, _Macha continued quietly.

He stopped and thought about that for a moment, _I think…_ Endrance finally replied, _I think that if the circumstances had been different…Mia would have liked that as well, _he compromised moving to the warp platform and heading back to town.

* * *

Atoli was in Mac Anu looking out over the water. The harbor was usually empty at this time of day so if she had time she would always come and enjoy the view. Her training with Haseo the other day had turned out better then Atoli could have expected and she had been able to connect better with Innis as well. _As long as we keep working together then AIDA will never get the better of us! _her Avatar said confidently. Atoli smiled at that, _Thank you so much for you help Innis. I don't know what I'd do without your help, _she responded and could feel the Phase's warm appreciation.

_What is HE doing here! That scumbag shouldn't be allowed within a thousand feet of this world after everything he's done! _Innis suddenly cried out angrily. Atoli turned around to see what the fuss was all about and she gasped. "S-S-Sakaki?" she stammered out as she stared at the former Moon Tree member. Sakaki paused for a moment and looked over his shoulder, he stared straight at her before turning back around as if he didn't even know who she was.

Atoli was stunned, that couldn't be him! Surely CC Corp would have banned him from the game right? What could he possibly be doing here? And why had he just looked past her as if he didn't know who she was? Atoli and ran over and stepped in front of him, "Sakaki!" she called and he looked down and frowned, "Who are you?" he asked in confusion. Atoli stared at him in shock, "It's me, Atoli! Don't you know who I am? We were even in the same guild together," she prodded grabbing his arm but he shrugged her off.

Sakaki just stared at her through narrowed eyes, "Know you? I've never seen you before in my life. Now if you'll excuse me I have somewhere to be," Sakaki responded moving around her. But Atoli couldn't let him go so soon, "Wait!" she said following him, "That's impossible. After everything that happened you couldn't have just forgotten all about me!" Atoli commented and he stopped dead in his tracks.

He turned around and crossed his arms, "Look lady I said it before and I'll say it again, I don't know who you are and I really couldn't care either way. So why don't you buzz off and stop harassing me already!" Sakaki snapped looking her up and down, "Why don't you go help some idiot noob or something" he added and Atoli hesitated before taking a step forward, "But I'm just trying to…" she began but Sakaki cut her off

"You really don't know how to listen do you? How many ways do you want me to say it? I don't know you and I don't have time for strangers I know nothing about. So go pester someone else because that's probably the only thing your actually any good at" he sneered and Atoli winced at the tone of his voice. _He doesn't care…he really doesn't know who I am, _she thought sadly as Innis grew angrier.

"That's enough!" a voice behind her said. Atoli turned around and saw Haseo walking up to her… and he wasn't happy either. "You can't talk to her that way! She's just trying to talk with you," he snarled his fingers clenched. Sakaki snorted at that, "This…person…doesn't know when to give up. I don't need to, or want to talk with her or anyone else. I came here to enjoy myself, not be bothered by a couple of strangers," he fired back.

Haseo gritted his teeth, "That's rich considering everything you've put us through! It's a miracle CC Corp let you back into The World at all after what you did!" he countered evenly and Sakaki frowned before his calm mask went back up, "Whatever, say what you want but I've got things to do" he turned and walked away but Haseo wasn't finished, "So that's it? After all the problems you caused everyone?" he demanded and then lowered his voice, "After all the lies you put inside Atoli's head?" Haseo added wanting to punch the guy right in the face. If this were the real world he would have gladly done so already.

Sakaki paused for a moment, "Why do you two insist on harassing me? I was just minding my own business and not bothering anyone when she came up and started following me, and now you won't go away either," he was clearly irritated by them. Haseo bristled and was about to say something else when Atoli grabbed his arm, he looked over at the Harvest Cleric but she didn't say a word, and she didn't have to. She just stared at the ground, silently asking him to stop and just let him go. Haseo sighed heavily and didn't stop Sakaki as he went over to a platform and warped away.

Atoli kept her head down and he could tell she was crying; he could hear it. "Atoli…I" he began gently but she shook her head. "Don't Haseo…please don't," she pleaded with him. "I just…can't believe he really doesn't remember who I am. After everything he put me through…all the lies he fed me…he built me up just so he could control me and tear me down later on. Sakaki never cared about me…all he cares about is himself and how much power he can gain from others. Now he's back and he just dismisses me like I'm nothing. Like I never mattered at all," she whispered as Haseo watched her.

The Harvest Cleric closed her eyes and her hands tightened on his arm, "Am I really that pathetic? Am I so worthless and…and useless that I'm not even worth remembering?" she choked out and Haseo's expression softened. "Don't say things like that Atoli. That's not true and you know it. Sakaki is just messing up your head again," Haseo told her and finally she shook her head. "It's not just him…it's my parents…the other girls at school…the teachers…everyone! All they do is ignore me!" Atoli blurted in frustration and pain. "If I do something it's not good enough…if I say something they tell me to shut up…if I stay quiet they complain that I'm too reserved…no matter how hard I try to fit in…no matter what I say or what I do nothing is ever good enough for anyone!" she continued and Haseo found himself getting angrier and angrier at Sakaki and everyone else for treating her so badly.

_Sakaki knew that. He knew how badly she wanted to be accepted by someone…by anyone and he used that against her. He toyed with her emotions and then used them against her to get what he wanted. It's no wonder Atoli is so sensitive with the way people have treated and disrespected her, _Haseo thought furiously. Atoli deserved better then that, she deserved someone who would accept her for who she was, and not force her to change or conform to their idea of who she _should_ be.

_You know it's not like the other players can see me… so if you if you like we could always track down Sakaki and teach him a lesson, _Skeith offered and Haseo toyed with the idea for a moment. _Yeah, but then we'd have to deal with one of Kuhn's 'speeches' about Avatar's and not using my 'power' properly again,_ he thought and Skeith snorted at that, _Honestly, The Propagation is so uptight sometimes, _the Terror of Death grunted sullenly.

Haseo turned his attention back to Atoli, "Then forget those losers!" he fired back and she opened her mouth to say something but he wasn't finished yet. "Anyone who looks down on you like that doesn't deserve to be called your friend or anything else for that matter," Haseo added sternly, "A real friend is someone who helps you and builds you up, someone who's always there when you need them; not a person who lies to you and controls you the way Sakaki has," he told her.

Atoli thought about that as Haseo continued, "And look at all of the people who care about you right here in The World. Zelkova, Kaede, Matsu, and the other former members of Moon Tree and don't forget about Silabus, Gaspard, Kuhn, and the other Epitaph users. And don't forget that I'm here for you too," Haseo assured her.

He stared at Atoli as he spoke up again, "I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with at times and what I say can be hard to hear. But everything I've ever said to you is the truth, Atoli. I know I'm harsh on you sometimes… but I only do that to…toughen you up. If you think about every mean thing everyone's said to you then you'll fall apart," he commented with a frown.

She looked away, "Well…maybe," Atoli whispered to herself but Haseo was determined to get through to her. "Atoli…a true friend is a person who tells you what you _need _to hear…even if it's not always easy to accept. And I say that your just fine the way you are now. You shouldn't have to change for anyone, least of all an arrogant, stuck up, selfish, self-absorbed jerk like Sakaki and those snide school girls that always follow me around," Haseo added the last part with a deep scowl.

Atoli looked back up at him, "You really mean that?" she asked hopefully and he nodded, "Have I ever lied to you before?" he countered and slowly a smile came to her face. "You're the best Haseo and you can't imagine how much that means to me," she said gratefully, enveloping him in a hug. Haseo turned red and looked away in embarrassment. "Yeah well…I'm glad you're happy" he finally commented not pushing her away from him for once.

* * *

**AN: **So how did you like that chapter everyone! I thought I might take a stab at Endrance for once. I seems to me that he might be just a _little _bitter with Macha and what happened to Mia and all that.

And didn't you love the fluff between Atoli and Haseo? And after Sakaki WAS 'taken out' by Azure Kite he fell into a coma. After he woke up he had no memory of what happened. Next up is Pi and Tarvos, The Avenger. Our lady steps in to protect some players and things snowball from there. So review and tell us what you think everyone! We need reviews!


	7. Avenging Angel

**AN: **Thanks for the reviews and comments everyone! I just watched I Am Legend in the movies so I'm pumped up with ideas baby! Oh, BTW I'll try to put in more non-Epitaph-user characters from here on out. I've been neglecting some of the other resident players of the world… Oh, one last thing! The area I chose in this chapter is entirely made up so I know nothing about it. I just needed a place and was to lazy to go on my game to look up a real one. So enough rambling! Read on!

Chapter Seven: Avenging Angel

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Pi was in Glittering, Black, 1000 Oaks, on the Sigma Server. Yata had picked up some faint AIDA signals in this forest dungeon, so he'd sent her out to see what was going on. Pi arrived at the warp platform and uncrossed her arms as she looked around, hopefully there wouldn't be any other players here and she could get in and out with no problems. If AIDA really were here then she would need to use Tarvos to take it out; any players in the area could be affected if the battle went wrong somehow.

She walked forward and was jumped on by a group of chickie dada's. Pi summoned her weapons and prepared for battle. The first thing she noticed however was that black dots swarmed over their bodies. "AIDA!" she gritted her teeth and blocked an attack. Black dot's swarmed up her arms and the screen danced with static as Pi gave the chickie a swift kick, knocking it to the ground. Quickly she fought back with several arts and then finished with vak don, the fireballs taking out the chickie dada. Since she was alone it took a minute or two to get rid of them.

Pi narrowed her eyes in thought as she stared at the empty spot in front of her. _AIDA has affected the monsters in this area and is controlling them. Plus AIDA is being controlled by that hacker, which means he can make these creatures do whatever he wants. If I had been weaker then AIDA may have even corrupted my character,_ she thought advancing farther into the area.

But every monster she encountered was the same and it seemed as if the level of infection was increasing the deeper she went. She could also feel Tarvos anger increasing with every monster they fought. But when she asked her Avatar what was wrong she received no response.

Pi had advanced to the second block and was about to enter the next room when she heard the sound of players arguing with each other. "Aww come on you overgrown telephone pole! Just admit it already! I could have taken out that monster all by myself!" an angry female voice shouted. "Get over yourself Alkaid, you'd be dead without my help. Your level is still lower then it should be for this area and these monsters are far from normal. Don't go charging off again or I'll let you die next time," a guy countered firmly.

Pi sighed to herself, _Well, so much for getting in and out with no problems; but those voices sound familiar and did they just say Alkaid? _she thought frowning slightly as she continued forward and saw none other then Alkaid and Sirius standing there, the latter with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed as he peered down at his 'friend.'

They kept up their feud for a while as Pi stood there unnoticed and decided what to do about this situation. On one hand they were strong players and their strength would come in handy with all of these infected monsters around, but on the other side they weren't Epitaph Users and if AIDA infected either one of their characters then they could both end up as Lost Ones once again. Before she could make up her mind Alkaid noticed the woman standing there and smiled.

Alkaid put her hands on her hips, "Hey there, your Pi right? What brings _you_ here?" she asked and Sirius gave a simple grunt in greeting. After hesitating for a moment, Pi decided to tell the truth. "I'm taking care of some business for my Guild Raven," she finally responded tentatively and Sirius took note of her tone of voice but Alkaid apparently didn't.

The girl tilted her head slightly, "That so? What kind of business? Raven may be a guild but I've never actually seen them do anything. Besides what would an ordinary Guild be doing in an area with such strange monsters? This is a bit suspicious if you ask me" Alkaid commented and Sirius glared at her, "Alkaid! That's none of your business! You shouldn't talk to people like that, it's rude and uncalled for!" he growled.

Alkaid merely brushed his comment off, "Your one to talk and who said I was talking you anyway?" she fired back and Pi cleared her throat to catch their attention. Both of them had encountered AIDA and they were respected throughout The World. As long as they understood the situation then she could use their help.

Pi adjusted her glasses and looked over her shoulder to check that no one else was around, "I'm checking up on an AIDA signal that was reported to be in this area. I was sent to take care of the situation and make sure that no one gets hurt," she responded cautiously and both of them caught the tone of warning in her voice. Sirius uncrossed his arms, "AIDA? I was afraid of that. Those black dots surrounding the monsters in this area can mean only one thing," he said quietly.

Pi nodded as she looked around the forest dungeon carefully, "Unfortunately AIDA _has_ reappeared. And while I could use your help in getting through this area I want you to understand that this situation is serious and should not be taken lightly," she told them and they turned to each other talking on a private band.

Finally Sirius looked back over at her, "Why not just tell us to leave?" he questioned curiously and Pi smiled slightly, "Well, for one you wouldn't do it, and two if we go through this area together then it will be easier to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't get hurt," she explained calmly as she walked past them. "But you have to follow my lead. If I tell you to get out then you have to listen and not try any heroics understand? If AIDA infects you again…there may not be a way to bring you back," Pi added briskly and Sirius nodded in agreement.

Alkaid thought for a moment before backing him up, "Don't worry we can take care of ourselves. Now let's get going and find out where AIDA is hiding before any other players get involved," she said gravely. Pi stared at her for a moment before motioning for them to follow. With the two former emperors helping her, they quickly made their way to the Beast Statue.

Sirius walked forward and opened the treasure chest and then passed the twin blades to Alkaid, "Here you go…I thought you could use a stronger weapon. You _are_ going to be entering the next Demon Palace tournament after all," he commented seeming a bit uncomfortable.

Her mouth opened and then closed, "Oh…wow…um, thanks Sirius. That's really nice of you," Alkaid finally responded, with a slightly embarrassed look on her face. Pi ignored them as Yata's voice came over the private line, "The AIDA signal is increasing dramatically! Get ready to fight!" he warned and she cursed to herself. "Get out of here! AIDA is coming!" Pi shouted as she turned towards them.

But before either of them could respond, black dots swarmed around their feet and rose up into the air forming into a dark mass. The red spider AIDA known as Grunwald appeared from the black dots and prepared to attack them. Pi gritted her teeth and summoned her Avatar, Tarvos.

Immediately Pi could feel Tarvos' anger flowing more strongly through her. _AIDA…such a creature should not exist within this realm. This is OUR home and they do not belong here! Already they have been sent against the other Phases. The hacker who controls them will not take me down! _the phase snarled furiously as it sent purple spikes out from it's body. The spikes converged on Grunwald but the AIDA skittered out of the way and fired back with Kohbold Bullet.

Immediately she seized control and pulled Tarvos back, knocking the attack away. _Calm down! We have to work together if we're going to defeat this AIDA, _Pi said firmly. The Avatar settled down but only slightly, _Very well. But I cannot just sit back knowing how much damage AIDA has caused the inhabitants of this world in the past and how much trouble they could cause now that they are being controlled and ordered around by some power hungry human, _Tarvos countered dodging as Grunwald used Archene Shot.

Pi moved out of the way and fired off several shots again, this time the attack hit but caused little damage. Lifting its hands overhead Tarvos summoned an enormous orb and massive energy spikes flew out and slammed into the red AIDA, this time slashing away at its data. Grunwald knocked a few of them away but couldn't move out of the way as Tarvos used Stake of Death.

The attack stunned the spider and Pi used Orb of Revenge sending several black orbs into the AIDA. Tarvos eyes flashed with anger, its rage bordering on the edge of berserk. Desperately Pi used all of her strength to try and pull back her Avatar and force it to calm down, but The Avenger was far from calm and was getting more and more irate with ever passing moment. _Tarvos! What's wrong with you? Why are you so upset? _she questioned urgently. The Phase was extremely agitated and it was clear that something was getting to Tarvos.

Finally The Avenger responded heatedly, _Can't you hear them? Can't you hear the voices of those around us who have been corrupted by AIDA?! Can't you hear them crying out for mercy? Crying out in torment and agony for help?! MY help?! I will not abandon them! I will not allow their suffering to be in vain! _Tarvos' furious roar echoed throughout the outer space field as its body glowed an angry crimson and fiery orange color. Pi once again had the feeling of and immense power being torn from her control as her Avatar went berserk.

_Wait! _Pi called out but it was already too late. Tarvos gained full control and the words Judgment's Revenge scrawled across the top of the screen as numerous red and orange beams shot out from Tarvos wings and slammed into Grunwald, tearing the AIDA's body to pieces. Data fell apart at incredible speed as the attack continued and finally The Avenger summoned a massive beam of energy that flew towards the red spider tearing into and destroying it completely.

All that was left of Grunwald were bit's of numbers and symbols that drifted down to the floor uselessly. Area Drain showed up at the top of the screen as Tarvos summoned a black orb that began absorbing all of the free-floating data surrounding it. The angry aura surrounding Tarvos also faded away and it relinquished control back to Pi. _They are glad…I can hear them rejoicing over AIDA's defeat. Their pain has vanished and they are no longer being controlled and enslaved, _the Phase said quietly.

Suddenly Pi realized who the 'they' Tarvos had been talking about were. _You mean the monsters in this area don't you? The one's that were infected with AIDA? _she questioned in shock, and she could feel the Avatar's relief. _Yes…but they are safe now. They are thanking us for our help…they are happy now, _Tarvos responded softly before fading away. Pi drifted back to the ground and was distracted from her thoughts by Alkaid's voice.

The girl was staring at her in shock, "What…what was that…that _thing_ you summoned?" she demanded and Sirius was watching her strangely as well. Pi's eyes widened in surprise, "You…you could see my Avatar?" she asked and the both exchanged a look before nodding. "If you mean that big winged monster you fought with then…yeah. I showed up after your body glowed with that weird attack," Alkaid spoke slowly and one could see that she was piecing things together in her mind.

The former emperor gazed at Pi in understanding, "The same attack that I've seen Haseo and Endrance use in the arena," Alkaid commented and Sirius nodded in agreement. Thinking quickly she contacted Master Yata and spoke on a private line. "Sir we have a problem. It seems that Sirius and Alkaid were both able to see Tarvos. What should I tell them?" she questioned and after a moment of silence he responded, "Bring them to Net Slum immediately. If they saw your Avatar then they must be informed about the situation before rumors can start spreading. I trust you'll explain the seriousness of this situation as well," he added somewhat frostily.

Pi nodded and turned back to them. "I'm afraid I can't let you wander off. You're to follow me and everything will be explained when we get there," she ordered and Sirius crossed his arms. "And where would 'there' be exactly?" he demanded suspiciously. Pi gave a bitter smile, "Sorry but I can't tell you that. It's for…security purposes," she responded and before motioning for them to follow and they warped back to Breg Epona.

They arrived at the Chaos Gate and Pi gave the two players a party invitation. Alkaid was clearly surprised, "But we never gave you our member addresses!" she cried taking a step back. "Look I don't know who you are and I think you should start answering a few questions. It's obvious that you know a lot more about The World then a normal player should," she snapped.

Pi waved her off as a couple of players arrived and walked down the steps. When they were gone she answered, "Not until we arrive at our destination. A place you can't get to without my help. So you can come along and receive an explanation or stay in the dark and wonder about what's happening," she commented keeping her voice down so as not to attract too much attention.

Sirius narrowed his eyes slightly, "I have to admit you have my curiosity. So I'll trust you…for now" Sirius relented; Alkaid was still suspicious but went along with him and accepted the invitation. Pi nodded and turned to the Chaos Gate, she chose Net Slum Tartarga and warped them there immediately. When they arrived the usual inhabitant's were wandering around talking to each other and sometimes to themselves.

Both of them gasped, "What…what on earth is this place? It can't be a place for normal players like us," Sirius observed and Pi chose not to comment on that. "Follow me it's right this way," she explained simply as she walked forward and through the doors in front of her and into the central area. The pair followed her through the streets and towards the bridge.

Alkaid glanced between Pi and the other 'creatures' of Net Slum. _Something's not right here. Those infected monsters, AIDA reappearing like this, then there's that strange creature she used in battle, _Alkaid thought watching the woman's back carefully. _This isn't right. What is CC Corp hiding this time? _she thought glancing up at Sirius who gave a small shrug. "I get the feeling that something isn't right with The World," he said suddenly but privately so that Pi couldn't hear them.

Alkaid scowled, "That attack she used against that weird AIDA was the same one that I've seen Haseo and Endrance use in the arena. Does that mean Haseo was researching AIDA the whole time? But wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it?" she questioned hesitantly as they walked and Sirius thought about that. "Back during the Holy Palace Tournament I was infected by AIDA and began hurting other players. Even sending them into a coma. It was Haseo who saved me from that and stopped me from causing any more damage," he commented dismally.

Sirius looked down at his friend, "There have always been things concerning Haseo and his other friends that I found…odd. Perhaps they chose not to tell us because they didn't want us to get involved with AIDA. But we both ended up comatose despite his warnings. If you think about it in that context then it makes sense," he thought aloud, putting all of the pieces together.

Alkaid nodded, "On the forums there were reports of people seeing black dots not just with you…but during the Demon Palace Tournament when Endrance fought and someone mentioned that Taihaku was one of those infected by AIDA as well. And when I looked up footage from all three tournaments I have to say I agree with them. AIDA was present in all three instances," she agreed and they were distracted when Pi stopped.

The pink haired woman turned around to face them, "Everything and anything you see and hear beyond this door is classified on the highest level. No one else can know about the information that's about to be revealed to you," Pi warned gravely. "The knowledge we've accumulated has been declared 'Top Secret' by CC Corp and NO ONE outside of this area can know about it until they say otherwise," she explained seriously.

Sirius and Alkaid nodded slowly and, apparently satisfied, Pi turned and opened the door. "There is currently a battle going on between Haseo and Kuhn but it's just a simulation; so don't worry, you won't get hurt," she assured as they walked through the door and onto the bridge of Tartarga. Immediately there was an explosion and _something_ blasted down around them. "What the…?" Alkaid yelped in surprise as she looked around at the strange area that extended in all directions

Looking up they could all see two more creatures like the ones Pi had used fighting against each other. One was white with several huge swords on its back and wielded a huge pulsing scythe of energy in its right hand. The other was green with a long tail like appendage handing down from the main body.

Pi pointed to the white one, "That one is known as Skeith and the other is Magus. They're known most commonly as Avatars and there are only eight of them. They were all a part of one of CC Corp's projects but they escaped into The World," she said as the battle continued. "The chose us as their partners and we used them to fight against AIDA before and help bring back the Lost Ones…uh, I mean the players who were comatose. Now we're using them again now that AIDA has reappeared," she clarified and Sirius nodded but didn't take his eyes off the Avatars as they continued fighting.

He turned back to Pi, "So my deduction was correct after all. All this time you were working together to fight AIDA. That's why Haseo was so determined to become emperor," Sirius stated and Pi nodded, "More or less. And because he did we were successful in bringing the comatose back to the real world," she responded before turning her attention back to Skeith who summoned two huge chakram and flung it at Magus who dodged it by mere inches.

Magus held up its hands defensively, "Whoa! What was that? I've never seen you do that before!" Kuhn's voice complained and the other Avatar laughed, "It's something that Skeith came up with actually. Now stop whining and fight back already! You're losing your touch!" Haseo's voice sneered. Pi cleared her throat and both looked down at her, "Sorry to interrupt your male bonding time here but we have an emergency meeting to get on with seeing as everyone is here now," she hinted and there was a flash of red and green as both Avatar's disappeared.

Haseo straightened up when he saw Alkaid standing there, "Alkaid? Sirius? What are they doing here?" he asked looking over at Yata who had been watching the battle between them. The leader of Raven/G.U. adjusted his glasses. "AIDA attacked an Epitaph Users once again and it appears that during the battle that ensued these two were able to see Tarvos," Yata explained and Haseo frowned and he looked back over at the two former emperors but didn't make any other comments. Atoli, Endrance, and Bo were also standing around the room.

Standing near the window was Zelkova, he turned around and smiled warmly at them, "Well your finally here! Sirius…Alkaid…I think it's time you learned the truth about what's going on. Normally we wouldn't do something like this but since you already saw one of the Avatar's we might as well tell you the whole truth. Plus you two have a lot of influence in the world and it would help if we had some eyes and ears in other places. There's only so many of us after all," Zelkova commented waiting for a response.

Alkaid shrugged, "Well why not? I can always level up for the tournament later on right?" she commented and Sirius grunted, "I think some further information on the current status of the world would be appreciated," he said agreeably as Yata took a few steps forward, "Then why don't I start at the beginning?" he began calmly.

**

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**

**AN: **I hope I have Sirius and Alkaid done properly. It's a bit tough to get a handle on their relationship. But that can be explored later on. So thanks for sticking with this so far and please review!


	8. Data Streams

Chapter Eight: Data Streams

* * *

Alkaid and Sirius listened closely as Yata spoke. "It started back in R:1; the previous version of the world that was damaged and then discontinued. During that time several years ago the Second Network Crisis occurred as a result of a powerful AI known as Morganna," Yata explained as Zelkova waved his hand and a split screen appeared, showing pictures of several strange monsters. Haseo frowned slightly as it paused on a more humanoid creature before moving to another.

Various names appeared under the video clip of each creature, "The idea for The World was taken from the Epitaph of Twilight, a poem that was and still is very popular. When you can find fragments of it that is," Yata clarified as he looked up at the screen, "Skeith, Innis, Magus, Fidchell, Gorre, Macha, Tarvos, and Corbenik are their names and their titles were taken from this poem as well," he added motioning to Zelkova who was still standing by the window.

Zelkova looked over at the two emperors, "These monsters were all created by Morganna herself and she sent them throughout the world to try and stop another AI named Aura because Aura was the only one who could 'destroy' her. Moganna was trying to protect herself but her actions resulted in a lot of problems for those playing the game. And for the rest of Japan also," the former Guild Master commented.

Sirius nodded at that, "And that's where Kite and the other dot hackers come in isn't it? By stopping Morganna and those…things she created, they were able to save The World and the rest of the network," he stated watching a clip of Kite and Blackrose fighting what looked like a stone wall.

Yata adjusted his glasses and the screen suddenly went dark and vanished. "You're exactly right, but when Morganna was deleted the Eight Phases that had been created from her data were separated and disappeared into the system. CC Corp was finally able to retrieve their data and began experimenting with an idea they had. When the Phase known as Skeith was first created, he used one of the players as a vessel with which to wander through the world. Controlling their virtual body and…inhabiting it while the child lay in a coma. Transforming to his true form only when necessary. This was before the dot hackers were aware of all of the problems going on," Yata added taking a sly glance over at Haseo who was clearly distracted and not really listening.

Zelkova picked up where Yata had left off, "It was because of this strange occurrence that CC Corp got the idea for Epitaph Users. They managed to recover the data for the Eight Phases and they created special Epitaph User PC's with the data of these creatures incorporated into them. CC Corp also found several candidates to use these characters; thinking that only certain people would be able to control this special power," he simplified walking over to where Yata was standing.

Yata gave a grunt of agreement, "They tried to use these people to control the Phases and the other AI's, but almost immediately something went wrong and most of The World's data was lost while the Eight Phases escaped into what was left of the game. It was there that they waited for the right person to 'connect' to. A partner who was able to bring out their full potential," he concluded and Alkaid thought about that.

She glanced over to where Atoli and the others were standing, "So these Eight Phases chose all of you? And now allow you to use them in battle?" she questioned and Kuhn nodded, "Well with the exception of Zelkova here, all of us in the room are known as Epitaph Users. And it's a good thing the Phases chose us; because they're the only ones who can stand up to AIDA and destroy it. And now that AIDA fragments are showing up again we're keeping ourselves busy," he responded easily.

Sirius crossed his arms and considered that. "So our theory was correct…all this time you've been trying your best to stop AIDA…and that included entering the arena as well," he confirmed with a slight nod. "But you didn't tell anyone because there was too much at risk. You didn't want to put anyone else in danger," the beat player added.

Yata smirked in approval, "I knew you two would figure it out. Besides we could use your help with…damage control. If people begin to notice strange occurrences throughout The World then you'll need to put them at ease. We have an important job to do and it would be best if we could continue without constantly watching out for the safety of others," Yata told them.

Alkaid thought about that for a moment and cracked her knuckles, "Well I don't see why not. There's no way I'm going to let this game go down…it's just way too much fun!" she grinned looking ready for a fight as usual. But Sirius frowned at her enthusiasm, "This is a serious matter. You shouldn't be so childish," he chastised and the red head waved him off, "_You _need to loosen up more. Your so stiff it's a wonder you don't crack under the least amount of pressure," Alkaid snapped back as she stared up at her friend.

Sirius narrowed his eyes at those words, "Me? Well at least I don't beat up every unfortunate player that looks at me cross-eyed," he retorted angrily and Alkaid rolled her eyes, "So? At least I'm not so hung up on my pride as a 'warrior' that I can hardly see straight," she practically growled not budging an inch. The beast PC swelled with anger, "Hung up? Hung up! YOU'RE the one who won't shut up about reclaiming your throne as emperor. At least I was able to step down gracefully," Sirius countered lifting his jaw proudly while Alkaid's dropped open in shock. "Gracefully? Oh, don't even get me started on that one!" she snapped at him.

Pi coughed loudly to catch their attention, "Would you stop arguing already?!" she demanded and the two former emperors grunted and turned their backs on each other. "We need you two to work _together_. And don't forget about what I said earlier; nothing you heard here leaves this room," Pi reminded them and they both nodded in agreement. Sirius bowed to them, "Don't worry. No one else will know about what was said here today," he commented staring firmly at the twin blade beside him. Alkaid merely shrugged, "Yeah what he said," was her simple comment before they turned and left the bridge.

When they were gone Yata turned to them, "Now that that's over with let's get on to today's…earlier events," he said turning to Pi, "Did you get any data from that battle?" he questioned and she nodded and handled him the item she had gotten. Atoli and Endrance did the same, handing over the data they had gotten from their battles days earlier. Yata frowned slightly, "Hmm, I'll analyze these and send you all an e-mail if I find anything," he responded turning away so he could get to work.

Kuhn slung his arm around Haseo's shoulders, "So what do you say pal? Why don't we go out and start training? We have to pump up our Avatar's don't we?" he asked cheerily and Haseo twitched angrily, "Get your arm off me," he all but snarled and Kuhn backed up quickly, "Whoa! Someone's in a bad mood today aren't they?" he asked even putting in a sad emoticon to boot. The Sage Palace emperor grunted and crossed his arms, "Just got something on my mind is all. I'm logging out," Haseo responded immediately warping out of the area.

Endrance stared at the spot where the teenager had just been. "Something is bothering him very much," he commented sounding concerned and Yata looked over his shoulder, "Just some things in his past coming back to haunt him I suppose. It would be best if we left him to think things through for a while," he commented loosely and the reticent player frowned, sensing that the Guild Master was hiding something. "Now go. I need silence to work through this," Yata ordered but Atoli and Endrance exchanged a look before heading out with everyone else.

* * *

Aihane was currently following the severely injured Corbenik as it traveled as covertly as possible through the data streams of The World, trying to shake off his pursuer. The Avatar was more severely injured then Aihane had first estimated. Which was, from his point of view anyway, a good thing. That meant he would be easier to capture. After all The Rebirth was all but impossible to manage; Ovan was the only one who could control the Avatar and even then AIDA had interfered with the bond they normally would have developed.

Haseo and Skeith, along with Kuhn and Magus and were both excellent examples of how important it was for the User and Phase to work together. During the tournament battle at the Demon Palace, Skeith had lost control of himself because of Haseo's arrogant attitude and inexperience. During that same fight, though, Magus had allowed himself to be attacked with Data Drain because of his trust in Kuhn. Later Haseo had changed his demeanor and now was the strongest Epitaph User of all because of that alteration. Skeith and Haseo had come to understand each other and were able to work as one.

When first created by Morganna, though, Skeith valued and respected nothing but physical strength and power; that was why he'd 'chosen' Ryou Misaki in the first place. But after seeing and experiencing all of the things that Haseo had been through, the Avatar now held a new respect for the teenager and was fiercely devoted to, and protective of, him. The Terror of Death had been able to develop more as an individual through his interactions with Haseo and felt somewhat indebted to him because of it. Of course the First Phase was far too stubborn to show the true depth of loyalty, but that was to be expected.

Corbenik, however, respected no one and answered to no one except Ovan. All of the other Phases had developed a subtle bond with their Users, but because of AIDA's control over Ovan that normal development had been interrupted. That basically meant that Corbenik was actually _weaker_ and more inexperienced then any of the other Avatars, including Fidchell. Capturing The Rebirth in his current state would be far easier then taking down the others.

Aihane sent out two AIDA fragments, both of them being the form known as Helen, which was more agile than the others. Almost immediately Corbenik froze and prepared to defend itself, but the hacker already knew how this battle would end. Ovan and Corbenik had never really had the chance to fight together and try out the Avatar's various attacks. Almost from the beginning AIDA had controlled not just Ovan but the Eighth Phase as well.

After the rebirth of the network, both User and Phase had been all but torn to pieces by the resulting force. As a result Ovan was still nowhere to be found-even Aihane had failed to find him- but Corbenik's data was larger and not as easily hid with his lack of understanding. Plus the Avatar was in no condition to fight even if he _was_ more knowledgeable. Fighting involved far more then just blasting off attacks; it took real skill and practice.

Both Helen circled Corbenik with deadly intent, ready to attack whenever Aihane signaled them to. _He's never had the chance to absorb data with Data Drain the way the other Avatar's have. The Rebirth doesn't have the same power that Skeith wields…nor does he have the advanced knowledge of data programmin that Magus has. He can't completely alter any data he wishes the way Innis can. Corbenik has little expertise when it comes to fighting and that will be his downfall, _Aihane thought rapidly entering commands on his keyboard.

Instantly both AIDA leaped into action, one using Lisp Tackle and the other moving away and using Pascal Bullet. Corbenik hesitated his injured body torn and full of holes that exposed his data, one of his arms was missing and his right leg was dragging uselessly as well. That hesitancy was all the opportunity that was needed. The first fragment scored a direct hit and the second attack hit the Phase several times before he could move out of the way.

Corbenik fired off several shots of his own but to no avail; both AIDA swerved and one came up from behind and used Prolog Laser, the black beams slamming into the Avatar multiple times tearing more data away. The other Helen fired energy blasts of it's own but Corbenik dragged himself out of the way…and right into Aihane's trap.

Static sparked across the screen two Grunwald suddenly appeared and wrapped the Avatar in silk, making it impossible for him to attack. Both Helen swam closer and used Prolog Laser on the immobile Phase as he struggled to get free, his anger mounting and his body glowing with a blue hue. Aihane knew that Corbenik was well aware of his inadequate fighting abilities and was instead trying desperately to use his rebirth ability to escape, even at the risk of tearing his body apart even more. The elite hacker knew he had to end this battle before Corbenik managed to get free.

Furiously typing in orders to all the AIDA fragments, Aihane prepared to launch his special slave device into Corbenik's body. Because the Avatar was so damaged the task should be fairly simple, especially with four different AIDA prepared to weaken him further. But Aihane had to be careful not to hurt the Phase too much. Long tendrils shot out from each individual fragment and slammed into Corbenik.

The screen inverted for a moment and the colors reversed and danced madly as the Phase gave a shrill gut-wrenching scream that was music to Aihane's ears. Waves of data poured in and out of Corbenik's body as the slave device was forcibly fused with his data. But it was close to an hour before the process was completed. Aihane had to constantly adjust the amount of data being pushed into Corbenik's body so as not to destroy the Avatar's body beyond repair.

Finally The Rebirth sagged in defeat as the four AIDA dragged him from The World and onto Aihane's private system. His strength was drained but his pride and defiance was by no means gone. The hacker set up a program that would 'chain' Corbenik down and use 'negative reinforcement' to keep him in place. Every escape attempt would be met with a wave of pain. Just because the Avatar was made of data that didn't mean he couldn't be injured.

When all the final adjustments had been made Aihane sat back and sent a Victorian AIDA to watch over his 'prisoner'. Corbenik may have been captured but taming the AI would be a different story…and it wouldn't be easy. The slave device had been forced into the Avatar's body but it still needed to work on Corbenik's subtler programming. The programming that even the best engineers at CC Corp had been unable to touch. Watching as the Phase was forced into submission would be quite enjoyable indeed.

* * *

Ryou Misaki sighed and flopped down on his bed, grateful to be able to lie down and get some rest. He'd been forced to juggle tests at school with his online responsibilities and in the end hadn't done too badly actually. His grades were good and his parents were pleased with the way he was doing. The changes in his attitude certainly helped as well.

He stared up at the ceiling as he thought about the G.U. meeting they'd had earlier today. Ryou wasn't sure if letting Alkaid and Sirius in on things was such a great idea considering the danger they could-and would-be put in. But Yata wasn't stupid enough to let them get hurt so if he said things were okay…then he really had no other choice but to trust the man. Overall things weren't great…but they weren't terrible either and that worried him more than anything else.

_That hacker…he's probably luring us into a trap…waiting until we grow too complacent. Either that or he's distracting us with these trivial AIDA battles until the rest of his 'master plan' can take effect, _Ryou considered sourly. _Just another day with the weight of the world on my shoulders I suppose. I wonder if I'll ever be able to have a 'normal' life? _he considered and then snorted at the thought. _Not as long as Skeith is around that's for sure,_ the thought of the First Phase brought on a new line of thought.

Ryou lifted his arm and clenched his fist as he reflected on everything he had been through, all the battles he'd fought using Skeith. He was indebted to the Avatar; if not for the Terror of Death he never would have been able to save Shino and bring back the other Lost Ones. But what Yata said during the meeting was also bothering him. They way he'd described the event's that happened in the first version of The World. Yata hadn't gone into detail so as to avoid losing the point of his words amid a flurry of useless information, but what he _did_ say still resonated deeply within Ryou.

_I just can't help but feel that I'm missing something…that somehow I've forgotten an important detail here, _he thought wracking his brain for the absent information. Almost vaguely he remembered Skeith commenting on the fact that they had 'quite a history' but he had been distracted by something afterwards and forgotten about those words. _I'll ask him when I log on tomorrow, _Ryou decided and then frowned slightly.

Since when had he started referring to the AI as 'him' instead of 'it'? When Ryou thought about the matter he couldn't remember. When had he fully realized that his Avatar had a personality of his own and wasn't just a tool for him to use and then dispose of? When had he come to understand that his Avatar was _alive _in a way that computer files and advanced programming couldn't explain? In a way that shouldn't even be logically or scientifically possible? Was it even possible for data, for strings of numbers and symbols, to have a life of it's own? To live, feel, and experience emotion the way humans did?

Computers did as they were told and AI's showed only as much emotion as was programmed into them. They couldn't respond to questions outside of their limited scope of understanding. Amazing as they were…they weren't alive in the slightest, they were just created to resemble something intelligent and they were still prone to bugs and viruses. But Skeith and the other Avatars…were different. Ryou could feel it with every fiber of his being. They were more than just advanced programming or even artificial intelligence systems.

An AI could be reprogrammed and altered to fit it's creators wishes, but the Eight Phases of Morganna deliberately refused to be used by CC Corp and instead had 'chosen' their own partners and acted according to their own desires. They could all talk and respond freely to their Users at any time.

Ryou sat up as he continued thinking about the matter. Yata _did _say that the Avatar's would become more advanced through their interactions with humans; but this type of behavior couldn't be fully explained by strict scientific methods and cold calculations. At some point… _something_ had been created from the raw mass of numbers and data that existed in cell phones, TV's, and computers. But how? That was the real question.

Ryou shook his head quickly, _You can't create something from lifeless matter, it just isn't possible…or is it? _he thought feeling a chill run up his spine at the thought.

* * *

**AN:** So how's that for an ending? I hope this chapter made up for my late update. I really didn't mean to keep all of you readers waiting that long. But on another note I'm sure you Corbenik fans are fuming at this latest development. Aihane's got plenty of things in store for The Rebirth though, so the Eighth Phase won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Next chapter…more fluff between Haseo and Atoli! I haven't decided what else…I tend to jump around a lot so I can't put anything definite beyond that. But didn't the last part of this chapter give you something to thing about? (evil cackle) So thanks a bunch to everyone who's reading this story! Please review and tell me what you think! Peace out!


	9. Realization

**AN:** Thanx for the reviews everyone! I can't describe how happy I am to know that you all are enjoying this! Plus for clarification Corbenik was indeed captured. Last chapter wasn't exactly riveting so I'll try to put some more action in this one. Plus some fluff between Haseo and Atoli, we can't forget about them now can we? So that's all for now everyone, read on and enjoy the drama! Twist's and turns is a comin!

Chapter Nine: Realization

* * *

Haseo was once again sitting on his 'throne' as Canard's Guild Master but his mind wasn't on his other guild members. He had continued last night's train of thought and now he couldn't stop reflecting on the Avatar's and what their 'intelligence' might mean for the rest of The World. _They grow not just by interacting with us…but by using Data Drain also, _Haseo realized thinking about everything they'd gained so far from fighting AIDA. If Yata could gain information from those items that AIDA left behind, then why couldn't Skeith and the other Phases?

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Haseo closed his eyes and decided to ask the Terror of Death personally. _Skeith…I know that Data Drain can take data and alter it, so what do you do with the information you receive? Do you use it to repair things or what? _he questioned curiously and he could feel the Avatar's irritation. _Do we have to do this now? I'm in the middle of fixing something…this place could use a little more light in it, _Skeith responded in a distracted air.

Frowning slightly the emperor straightened up, "Fixing something?" he asked aloud and Silabus looked over at him, "You okay? You just seem like you've been really out of it for the past few days," he stated sounding concerned for his friend and Haseo shook his head, "I'm fine. I'm just talking to someone," he replied truthfully as the graphics hitched for a moment and all of the guild members looked around. With Altimit OS running the network now glitches and interruptions never happened so something like this was highly unusual.

There was a cracking sound and everyone looked up at the ceiling as it began to shatter and fall apart. Haseo heard a deep and highly amused chuckle from Skeith, _Hey, it actually worked! I TOLD you this place could use some more light! _the Phase put in still laughing at the other players shell-shocked expressions as they hurried out of the way.

Large slabs of stone fell from the roof at random places, allowing light to filter in; slowly vines crawled down through the holes and hung down into the room. The stone that had fallen changed to data and sank into the floor, altering and changing it so that murky pools of water appeared underneath the open holes in the ceiling. All and all it was actually very nice looking. Of course Death Grunty was having a fit over the matter but he was ignored as usual.

Haseo was quick to reassure his guild members that this was a just a 'scheduled alteration to the area' before turning his attention to his Avatar, _Skeith! What did you do? _he demanded and if the Epitaph could grin then he certainly would have done so now. _What? I decided to put my…personal spin on this place. If your going to be spending time here then I want something interesting to look at, _Skeith told his User with fake innocence. Haseo groaned slightly and put a hand over his face, _Forget it…I guess that answers my earlier question now doesn't it? _he said in disgust as Atoli walked over to him with a knowing look on her face.

When he turned to look at her she seemed just as amused as Skeith was. Haseo scowled at his friend, "Not a word Atoli…not a single word," he snarled angrily and this time a giggle did pass her lips. "I'm sorry Haseo…it's just…" the harvest cleric paused and cleared her throat before continuing. "I take it a certain _someone _was bored today?" she asked discreetly and Haseo crossed his arms. "You try to ask a guy a question and this is what happens," he commented sourly.

Atoli ignored his tone and tugged on his arm, pulling him over to a more private area of the home so they could talk. Haseo sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. About the Avatar's and how…intelligent they are. And also about what they do with all the data they collect when they use Data Drain" he admitted hesitantly.

Haseo looked over his shoulder to make sure they weren't being overheard before continuing. "Yata said they would become more intelligent by interacting with humans but…" he paused and shook his head. "But the way they act, the way they talk and respond; I can't help but think that Skeith is more than just some advanced AI that was created. He's…alive...that's the only way I can think to describe it," Haseo admitted to her; after all she was the only person, besides Kuhn or maybe Endrance, that he felt comfortable talking to like this.

Atoli nodded at his words and looked out the window. "I've been talking with Innis lately as well and I can't help but agree with you," she began her hands behind her back. "I've been asking her a lot of questions and she's been really good about helping me out," Atoli smiled at that and Haseo grunted, "Wish I could say the same about Skeith," he grumbled looking up at the ceiling the Phase had suddenly decided to 'modify'.

The harvest cleric fought back another giggle at Haseo's irritation. "Innis said that the more data they drain the more they learn about the online world around them. They can then use that data to repair themselves whenever they're damaged or they incorporate it into their own bodies protect themselves from hackers and technicians like those at CC Corp," Atoli explained with a slight frown on her lips.

Atoli then hesitated for a moment and looked down at the floor, "Innis got kind of upset at the memory of what CC Corp did to her. She didn't go into detail but I could tell she was bothered by it," the blonde added her hands clasped together in concern

Haseo thought about that for a moment, "The game data here is under the tightest security measures possible, so for Skeith to change it so easily…" he paused and shook his head at that. Atoli nodded in agreement, "By using Data Drain they learn more about the network…the world they live in. I guess it's kind of like one of us reading a text book or looking up information to find out how something works or fits together," she thought aloud as Haseo turned back to her.

The blonde nodded automatically as she continued, "When they absorb data they break it down and study it automatically, learning what it's made of and how it can be changed," Atoli reflected and after a moment of silence she turned from staring out the window and realized that the Canard Guild Master was staring at her with one eyebrow raised. Instantly Atoli's face turned red with embarrassment and a smirk crawled across Haseo's face at her expression; he found it rather cute actually.

Haseo tilted his head and crossed his arms, "And you just…_happened _to be wondering about all of this?" he questioned curiously and she fiddled with her fingers as he continued watching her. Atoli finally glanced up at him, "Oh well…I um…Innis was the one who brought the subject up again and we both took some time to consider all of the possibilities. That one just seemed the most logical," she answered awkwardly her face still tinted pink as she looked down again.

Haseo couldn't help but give his friend a genuine smile and Atoli gave a shy smile of her own in return. _Atoli really is too innocent for her own good sometimes, but that's what I like best about her, _he thought and then turned red himself when he realized the turn his thoughts were taking.

Quickly he looked away and rubbed his neck uneasily as Atoli turned as well and began fidgeting slightly. Lately Haseo noticed that he was thinking about Atoli more and more and ever since AIDA appeared again they'd been spending more time together also. Usually she was busy helping out the other members of Canard or the former members of Moon Tree. But now it seemed like whenever he had any free time it was spent with Atoli, and the reverse was true as well. She'd also been in the simulator working on powering up Innis' abilities; often with Haseo's help.

But it wasn't like Haseo didn't enjoy the time they spent together, just the opposite in fact. He just felt so at ease whenever he was around her, so relaxed and well, happy. Happier then he'd ever been before. It was pretty clear to everyone how Atoli felt about him, and as for Haseo…well, in Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground he'd chosen to go to her rather then stay with Shino…and he'd done it for a reason. Atoli _needed_ him, she needed someone to help her and support her in a way that no one else ever had.

The instant Haseo saw her that day in the cathedral looking so broken and upset, he knew that he would never be able to just turn his back on her. Atoli was too special for that and she had been hurt far too many times by people who all _claimed _to be her friends. _What is this warm feeling I get whenever I'm around her? Could I really falling for Atoli? _he thought swallowing hard as he decided to open his mouth and break the thick tension that was hovering between them.

Haseo's face was still red but he knew he had to say something eventually, "A-Atoli…I was wondering if…if maybe we could…" he began hesitantly but was interrupted by a short mail from Yata that read:

Haseo, Atoli, there is a strange signal coming from Blazing, Moonflower, Rider on the Delta server go check it out and be prepared…it could be AIDA.

Inwardly he cursed Yata's terrible timing. Why couldn't they just have had another minute to talk? There was a sneer from Skeith; _Aww isn't that just so romantic? The mighty emperor is falling head-over-heels for the Mirage of Deceit. I think I might actually shed a tear, _the Avatar snickered as Haseo's face turned deep crimson. He had forgotten that Skeith could easily listen in on their conversation if he wanted too.

Still blushing herself, Atoli finally cleared her throat, "I-I think we should get going and c-check it out," she commented tentatively her eyes still lowered and Haseo nodded, "Yeah…your right," he muttered looking over at his friends. "Hey Silabus! I'm heading out, take care of things will you?" he asked and the green clad PC nodded, "Sure thing! Have fun you guys!" he said cheerfully. Meanwhile Atoli felt a chill go up her spine at Yata's message, _My lady…I have a bad feeling about this_, Innis commented worriedly.

* * *

Aihane had made little progress on breaking Corbenik's spirit but that was no surprise. It had only been a few hours since the Avatar had been captured after all. For now he would leave The Rebirth to his lonesome, maybe some time alone in that empty and confining space would help change his mind a little. He recalled the Victorian AIDA and decided to send it on a little 'mission'. _Burning, moonflower, rider should do. It's a level one field so those noobs won't know what hit them, _he thought sending the fragment out into The World.

When AIDA was one whole program it was able to take over PC's and even control the players themselves. Now that AIDA was fragmented, however, it would be interesting to see if the same effect still applied. Not only could Aihane control the once unstoppable 'virus' but he could also create AIDA servers of his own and even had one of the Epitaphs in his possession now.

Besides, there was another ability of AIDA that he wanted to exploit; their power to change people hearts. It was truly incredible how far people would go to help one another sometimes. Aihane however had no such compunctions. Parent's would rather die then see anything happen to their precious children. _If these AIDA fragments can still send players into comas…then I may have to exploit that ability. If I can control the people and the younger players themselves…then there is nothing that will be out of my reach. _

Aihane smirked as he watched Victorian hunt around for some PC's to 'play' with. _With AIDA and the Epitaphs in my control there is no one who will be able to stop me, and once I have them…then Aura will fall as well. The most advanced life form that has ever existed will one day be under my control, a creature that lives only in the online world and grows more intelligent with each passing day, _he thought pleased by his dark thoughts.

Aura was unique just as the Eight Phases were unique. They had surpassed the point of being just advanced AI's and become something entirely different. Their interaction with humans had helped them develop a mind and conscious of their own. Aura was the most advanced of all and could change data with the blink of an eye; she had even been able to recreate the Azure Knights.

Her skills surpassed that of anything else in the known world and it would take all of the AIDA fragments under his control _and_ the powers of the Avatar's to bring her under control, and even then she would never be completely his. Aura was just too powerful for him to dominate.

Aihane looked up as a beeping sound suddenly started, distracting him from his thoughts. He glanced over at his other computer and saw that two Epitaph Users had entered the area. _So Haseo and Atoli have come to investigate after all. This should be very interesting indeed, _he considered as the Victorian switched its attention to the two players who had just come in.

* * *

"Level 1?" Haseo questioned as they arrived at the field. The sun was setting and it wasn't a very big area. Atoli clasped her hands together, "Haseo…" she whispered suddenly and he looked over at her, seeing that something was clearly troubling her. She shook her head, "This doesn't feel right, I have a really bad feeling about all of this," Atoli whispered looking around carefully. Haseo frowned at that and used a fairy's orb, when he did he saw that the area was devoid of treasure chests and the one that was left suddenly disappeared.

Haseo cursed to himself, "Great there are other players here in the area. We have to go before…." he began but there was a screech and a loud explosion in the distance. Immediately he took out his bike and Atoli hopped on behind him, "We have to hurry that must be AIDA!" she yelled and he nodded before speeding off. They easily flew through the field and across the bridges and quickly came upon a large yellow AIDA.

Haseo narrowed his eyes and skidded to a stop. They both got off and watched as the Victorian prepared to attack a group of players again. Two were already dead and on was hovering on the edge of death. "That's just like the one that infected Sakaki," he commented taking out his dual guns and taking a few shots at the AIDA in order to draw its attention. Atoli quickly healed the injured player and brought the other's back to life, "Hurry up and get out of here! We'll take care of this monster!" she shouted to them and they immediately hurried over to the warp platform and left the area.

Dodging an attack Haseo looked over at Atoli, "Are you ready for this?" he questioned and she nodded, "We'll take down this AIDA together," she confirmed as they both summoned their Avatars. Skeith whipped out his scythe and prepared to fight. Innis too summoned her opaque blades and prepared for battle, _My lady there is still a connection open! I can trace the computer where this AIDA came from! _the Mirage of Deceit offered and Atoli stiffened in surprise. She looked over at Skeith who turned and nodded in understanding.

Haseo's voice drifted over to her, "Skeith said that he can trace where this AIDA came from and I'm guessing Innis can do the same," he commented swinging the scythe, sending several shockwaves toward the Victorian. Innis prepared to use Data Drain as Skeith continued distracting the AIDA. When the Avatar was ready the Terror of Death dashed out of the way just as the Mirage of Deceit fired off the attack.

A shield appeared around Victorian as Data Drain hit. But moments later cracks started to spider out and pieces began to fall away as static danced across the screen. There was a loud screech as Data Drain began altering all of the data surrounding the AIDA and even the creature itself began to separate. Moments later the monster was gone and all of its information had been converted into a tear in the game data that would transport them to wherever the AIDA had come from.

Skeith dashed forward, "Let's hurry before it closes! We have to find out who's controlling these AIDA!" Haseo shouted and Atoli followed closed behind him. Both Avatars entered the tear and the screen turned a blinding white as the area dissipated. When the light cleared up they were plunged into a dismal area with no color. It wasn't gray, white, or even pale; it was just a place with no color of any kind.

Innis brought up her blades for protection, "What is this place?" Atoli asked looking behind them but the rip in the data was still there and looking through it she could see the outer space field that they had just come from. Skeith clenched his claws around the scythe in his right hand, "Wait a minute…isn't that Corbenik?" Haseo asked spotting the figure in front of them.

Both of them moved over to take a closer look and Atoli gasped, "It IS…but what is he doing here? And what happened to his body?" she asked concerned as she looked over the Avatar's broken body. Corbenik's left arm was entirely torn off and his right leg was completely shredded. There were thick chains that wrapped first around The Rebirth's remaining arm and legs and then around the rest of his body as well.

Innis reached out to her fellow Avatar but then pulled her hand back, _He had to experience the full force of the network's rebirth…and this is the result, _she answered sadly. Turning to Haseo she saw that Skeith was examining Corbenik as well, "Innis says that this is a result of him taking the brunt of the network's rebirth," Atoli informed him and the white Avatar nodded slowly as the blue Phase looked up at them.

There was slight hiss as Corbenik prepared to speak, "SSSSSkeiiith? Innnnnisss? Whyyyy a-are you h-h-h-here? Why diiiiid your UUUsersss come?" he slurred and stammered as he voiced the question; it was clear then that his injuries were not just external. Haseo and Atoli exchanged a look before he turned back to Corbenik, "We were fighting an AIDA when Skeith and Innis said that they could track down where it had come from," Haseo responded hesitantly. After all talking to his own Avatar was one thing but talking to Corbenik when he was alone like this was…strange.

There was moment of silence as The Rebirth hung there chained and…well, enslaved for a lack of a better word. Innis floated closer, "Who did this to you? Who captured you?" Atoli questioned softly and Corbenik's voice hitched, "The o-one w-who controooolllsss AIDA. T-tracked meee down…ssssent themmmm to w-weaken me," he responded thickly even as his body sagged from the strain of his injuries.

Skeith's red eyes narrowed at those words, but neither Haseo nor Atoli chose to interrupt. Corbenik hung his head, "Wassss trying to f-f-find him…trying to looocate Ovan. Not ssstrong enough on myyyy own. Not goooddd at fighttttiinng. Letttt Ovan dowwwwn, failed himmm," he admitted his entire aura miserable and dejected.

Looking back up he suddenly switched subjects, "Aihane is hissss n-name; the h-h-hacker who controlsssss AIDA. He wants us…a-all of ouuur powerrrr…then he'll c-captuuurre Aura," the Eighth Phase revealed and both Avatars stiffened and Skeith snarled angrily. Atoli could feel Innis' growing rage as well, _So THAT'S what he wants! This hacker Aihane want's to enslave us and use our power to capture Aura! With AIDA, the other Epitaphs, and Aura in his command there isn't a person alive who could stop him! _she said in shock.

Suddenly there was a deep groan and Corbenik's head came up, "G-Gooo!" he tried to shout but his voice was still weak. "He c-commess! Comes to c-capture youuuu the wayyy he hassss me!" the Phase's tone was filled with urgency. Skeith and Innis both backed up and looked around as if sensing an imminent attack.

Corbenik leaned forward straining with all his might to tell them what was going on, "It growwsss within yooou…he puuut it in y-you, a device that s-slowly f-fusessss with y-your data untiilll it b-becomes undetectable. D-d-do nnnott underestimate Aihaaaane's intelligence. This d-device issss insatiable; it won't ssstop untillll it has combined with yourrr bodies completely. Then he willll activaaate it; then it willll control your everrry action," Corbenik heaved out and Innis touched her chest in shock.

Static dance everywhere as dozens…no…HUNDREDS of AIDA began appearing around them. Haseo swore, "There's no way we can fight all of them! We have to go _now_!" he told Atoli but both she and Innis hesitated not able to take their eyes off of Corbenik. The Rebirth wobbled his head slowly, "No timme leftttt. Can't sssave meeee; saaave yourselvvves. Stop Aihannne b-before he d-destroys our home…before he escapes The World annnnd hurts the otheeerrrss like us. F-find Ovan…bring h-him back…only tooogettther with him will you stop this hacker. He isss s-still out t-there wandering innn the dark," Corbenik pleaded and Innis nodded.

Skeith grabbed the Mirage of Deceit and pulled her harshly, "Move now you over grown illusion!" came the deep and harsh voice of the Terror of Death. Innis snapped her arm out of his grip, "I heard your User the first time!" the Avatar retaliated as they dashed for the tear in the data that they had come through. Several AIDA moved into their way but Skeith and Innis fired off attacks and quickly moved past, or around, them.

As they drew closer they could see the rip closing slowly as the AIDA tried to keep them from leaving. Skeith whipped his scythe around in furious arcs sending shockwaves in all directions causing the AIDA to scatter briefly in order to avoid the attacks. "Come on, come on, COME ON!" Haseo shouted as he dashed through it and back into The World. The outer space area that they had originally come from reappeared around him.

"HASEO!" Atoli suddenly screamed and he turned around quickly and saw that several AIDA were holding Innis back. They were trying to pull the duo back through the hole…and they were starting to win. If they succeeded then the Second Phase would be captured for sure and there was no telling what would happen to Atoli. Black dots were swarming up Innis body as well as the AIDA tried to bring the Avatar back to their side.

The tear began closing at a faster rate as Skeith grabbed Innis' arms and began pulling as hard as he could. But the other Avatar was nearly twice as long as Skeith was, and it wasn't exactly easy trying to pull Innis back from the grip of the AIDA on the other side.

Skeith gave a grunt and pulled harder as the numerous AIDA kept a firm hold on the Mirage of Deceit. _Come on! You can't let go of them! _Haseo cried urgently and his Avatar growled, _What do you think I'm doing! There must be hundreds of those AIDA parasites holding onto her! This ain't exactly a piece of cake you know! _Skeith grunted dropping one of Innis hands and summoning a chakram.

The Mirage of Deceit ducked quickly as the First Phase slung it around and held it in place so it could tear into the edges of the rapidly closing hole. That attack was just enough to break Innis free. With a yelp from Atoli, the Phase crashed into Skeith even as the rip sealed shut and the outer space field disappeared and was replaced by the normal field they had first entered into through Mac Anu.

Both were dazed from the experience of the past few minutes so it was a moment before Atoli realized she was lying on top of Haseo. "Uh…can you get off me now?" the emperor asked his face burning red and clearly uncomfortable seeing as her face was merely inches away from his. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" she commented leaning back immediately. Atoli got off him and stumbled a bit as Haseo stood up and rubbed his neck.

Noticing then she still seemed to be in shock, he reached out and put and arm around her shoulders to help steady her, "Hey, are you alright?" he asked concerned as she closed her eyes for a moment and leaned against him for support. Atoli winced visibly, "It was just…so LOUD," she whispered rubbing her ears. "I couldn't hear or focus on anything else. I thought for sure my ear drums were going to burst...and I don't want to think of how many AIDA must have been there to make a sound that intense," she added opening her eyes and turning to him.

Haseo, however, continued to keep a close eye on her, "You going to be okay? You seem pretty out of it," he commented still worried about what had just happened to her. Atoli nodded slowly but didn't say anything else as the full impact of what they had just seen and heard hit them; and for a long time neither one of them knew what to say.

* * *

**AN:** So how was that? A little more exciting then the last chapter wasn't it? And the Epitaph Users along with their Avatar's now know who's after them and what he's after. But Aihane isn't going to let a minor setback like this stop him…oh no! This story has barely gotten started, there's so much in store I can hardly sit still! Next installment shall be up ASAP!


	10. Panic and Desperation

**AN:** Sorry this took so long. I've been busy job hunting, my –ahem- finances are starting to get a _little_ lower then I would like to see. BTW I noticed that a few of you have commented on the fact that Ryou/Haseo lives alone, not at his parent's house. I know he lives in Tokyo but other that that I'm in the dark. So I've decided to amend the situation as best we could. Hope you like it!

So that aside, thanks for all of the reviews (again)! It's good to have your support! And Skeith is going to be…flipping out in this chapter, with bad consequences for our antisocial hero…. you'll see what I mean. Now on with the chapter!

Chapter Ten: Panic and Desperation

* * *

Haseo and Atoli had gone back to Mac Anu and then gone straight to Net Slum Tartarga. They were currently sitting on the bridge thinking about their encounter with Corbenik and what he had said to them. _Well, brat what now? Do we tell The Prophet or what?_ Skeith asked reverting back to his usual insult, but Haseo could tell that his Avatar was shaken by what they had just experienced, so he let the 'brat' comment slide. He also didn't respond to the Terror of Death's question.

For the first time since they had 'connected' with each other Haseo could tell that Skeith was scared and he didn't quite know how to react to that. He didn't even think it was _possible_ for a creature that only existed online to feel something like fear. Looking over at Atoli, who still rubbed her ears occasionally, Haseo could tell that she was talking to her own Avatar as well.

Neither one of them had contacted the other members of G.U. They both needed a moment to absorb everything and think about what they had experienced before calling Yata and telling him what went on.

Haseo narrowed his eyes in thought; Corbenik had said that there was _something _growing inside of the other Phases, something that would take over their bodies and control them. Did that mean this Aihane guy could separate an Epitaph User from their Avatar? Feeling a wave of uneasiness from Skeith, a feeling that bordered on sheer panic, Haseo immediately pushed away that idea. He didn't want to make his Avatar any more upset than he already was.

"Haseo?" he looked over and saw that Atoli was staring down at her hands. "What do we do now?" she asked hesitantly as she clenched her hands. "Aihane put _something _inside of our Avatars…inside of us," she said touching her chest. "And even if we do get them out somehow…there's still no way that we would be able to fight off every one those AIDA if they came at us all at once," Atoli said frankly and he frowned at that.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "I don't really want to admit it…but your right about that. This guy is way out of our league, and even if we do find a way to stop him…" Haseo paused and Atoli nodded in agreement, "We're bound to lose something along the way," she whispered looking out the window. "Innis says that she can't find anything unusual, and that's just making her worry even more about all of this," Atoli added sadly.

_I can't find a single trace of it either, brat. I can tell that something's not right with my data…that there's a program that shouldn't exist within me, but that's it. Even the best techs at CC Corp couldn't change my central data the way this Aihane guy has. That hacker managed to completely immobilize Corbenik, and while he might not be good at fighting…that Phase is a master escape artist. If he can be captured…any one of us can, _Skeith responded nervously. Haseo could feel his Avatar's growing unease and alarm.

Atoli stood up and looked out over the water, "What do you think would happen…if we really _were_ separated from our Avatar's? If Aihane managed to take them over completely?" she thought aloud and then looked down, "Even now…the Eight Phase's listen to us because they _want_ to…not because they _have_ to," the harvest cleric recognized uneasily as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. "If they were taken from us and their full power unleashed on the Internet…they would cause twice the damage that AIDA and Cubia did," Atoli thought aloud as she turned back to him.

Haseo stood up and walked over to her, they both stood there in silence for a while and he couldn't help but notice the way Atoli kept grimacing and rubbing her ears. "Why don't you log off?" he said suddenly, distracting her from her thoughts. She looked at him questioningly and he rubbed his neck. Haseo couldn't help but fidget a little, "I can tell that your ears are still bothering you. So I'll call Yata and tell him what happened; why don't you just take it easy?" he offered and Atoli was clearly surprised.

"Oh! Thanks Haseo, that's really kind of you," she responded with a warm smile and then she bowed quickly. "And thank you so much for helping me back there. Those AIDA would have captured me if not for you and Skeith. I can't thank you enough for what you did," Atoli said gratefully and he looked away in embarrassment. "Yeah, well, it was nothing special," Haseo mumbled staring at his feet. He still wasn't quite used to people actually _liking _him for a change.

Atoli giggled at her friend's reaction, "Let me know how thing's turn out alright?" she asked and Haseo nodded, "Sure, I'll send you an e-mail later on," he assured before she walked off the bridge. _Hey brat; you think The Prophet can help? Or maybe that weirdo from Moon Tree? _Skeith asked suddenly, referring to Yata and Zelkova; Haseo shrugged as he sent the two Guild Master's a short mail.

Moment's later they walked onto the bridge and Yata adjusted his glasses, "I take it something unusual happened in the area I sent you to?" he questioned calmly and Haseo nodded and began to explain everything that had happened during and after their battle with AIDA. He also brought up Atoli and what she had said about all of those AIDA.

Zelkova looked up as a screen appeared above their heads. Area signs normal, there is evidence that a channel was made to a remote server, but the connection is no longer available. Remaining data is seamless. Tartarga explained and Yata frowned at that. "Whatever Innis did it's all but undetectable. I doubt that CC Corp will even notice something happened unless they check the footage," he commented turning to Zelkova who was examining the video from the battle.

The footage went up to the point where Skeith and Innis disappeared into the hole and then it went blank for several minutes. When it came back on it merely showed Haseo and Atoli standing up and talking to each other. Zelkova hummed at that, "Looks like you messed up the records as well. But maybe that's for the best considering how strange CC Corp can be about these things," he said with a shrug.

Yata turned to Haseo, "Pi, Zelkova, and I will investigate the matter and see what we can turn up. We have to find out where that AIDA came from and shut down that computer as soon as possible," he explained darkly and Haseo crossed his arms. "You really think that will stop Aihane?" he questioned suspiciously and the two Guild Masters exchanged a look. _Of course that won't stop him brat! What we need is to get him one on one so I can twist that little head of his and pop it right off his…_Skeith began but Haseo quieted the Terror of Death before he could go into any real detail.

Zelkova shook his head; "If this hacker is skilled enough to capture Corbenik, then nothing is going to stop him for long. We can only hope for more time so we can come up with a plan of attack. We'll also have to run diagnostics on all of the Avatars to see if we can find-and stop-the program that Aihane put inside them," he added already getting started.

Yata examined the Dual-Gunner closely, "Why don't you take some time off? Both you and Skeith have been in several battles lately, it might be for the best if you stayed offline for a day or so," the Macabre Dancer more or less ordered him. Haseo raised an eyebrow at that; usually Yata was all work and no play. He never let up and was always working on something or other; sometimes Haseo wondered if the man slept at all.

Picking up on his suspicion Yata smirked, "What good are you to me if you pass out in the middle of a battle with AIDA? I have to keep my members in fighting shape so I can push them harder later on," he continued pleasantly and Haseo rolled his eyes at those words, "Great…I should have known," he grumbled waving his hand.

"Fine…I guess your not leaving me much choice. I'll be back in a day or so," he added and immediately Skeith protested this development. _A couple of __**days**__? You're going to leave me here all alone? After everything that's happened?! Aihane could come for us at anytime!_ _What kind of user are you anyway?!_ he demanded with extreme alarm.

Haseo paused for a moment before continuing out of the bridge; he was surprised at the amount of panic in his Avatar's voice. _Calm down! Yata's right, I need to relax and so do you. Stop getting yourself too wound up, your acting like your afraid I'm going to leave you behind completely or something, _he retorted cynically, expecting Skeith to fire back a reply at once. But when the First Phase remained eerily quiet on the matter Haseo stopped in his tracks.

_Skeith? _he questioned but still received no answer and could feel no emotion whatsoever from his Avatar. _I was just kidding you know… I would never just abandon you like that, _Haseo assured him and after a moment of silence the Phase finally spoke up, _You promise?_ Skeith asked in a strangely soft and tentative voice. Haseo nodded, _Of course. After all you're the reason I was able to bring Shino and Alkaid back, along with all of the other lost ones. Without you we never would have stopped AIDA and Cubia, _he reminded the Phase. _And if Aihane is going to be stopped than we're going to have to work together, _Haseo added with a slight frown.

He couldn't help but wonder at the way Skeith was reacting; whenever he so much as _thought_ about the possibility of them being separated the Terror of Death went into a panic. Was there something else going on? Something that he didn't remember maybe? There were more then a few holes in his memory especially after he had woken up in the hospital 7 years ago; give or take a few months.

_I'm not going anywhere Skeith…really…no one is going to separate us. Aihane may be talented but there's no way he could really pull us apart against our will. We're going to work together and figure out a way to stop this hacker and bring Corbenik back, _Haseo continued and could feel Skeith relax somewhat. _Okay…just don't stay away too long, you understand me brat? _the Phase demanded.

Haseo decided to let the 'order' slide, _Fine…fine…I feel like a slave now. First Yata orders me around and now you, _he grumbled and felt Skeith's attitude improve slightly, _And don't you forget it brat! You belong to me now! _The Avatar would have been grinning at the moment if he could. Haseo sighed heavily and logged off.

Ryou groaned and leaned back in his chair. _Man…I'm glad that's taken care of, _he thought setting the controller aside as a meow came from the floor. He ignored the sound as he began writing an e-mail to Atoli. There wasn't much to say really but he had promised to tell her what happened. He was just getting to the part where Yata had told him to take a few days off when a pair of claws scratched his leg.

"OW! Darn it Shira! I heard you the first time!" Ryou complained looking down to where his pet was sitting. The white kitten meowed louder this time and he grumbled before picking her up and setting the white fuzz ball in his lap. She gave a couple of loud sniffs to show her displeasure at him taking so long, and then circled a few times before curling into a ball and closing her eyes.

He had found the white kitten in a back alley just over a month ago on the verge of starving to death. Ryou had taken the animal back to his apartment and nursed it back to health; he'd never really thought of himself as being an animal person but the kitten had grown on him, so here she was sleeping peacefully on his legs.

Of course Ryou had been staying at his parents house lately seeing as his stupid landlord had nearly burned his apartment building to the ground. The man had been holding off on rewiring the building because of 'financial issues' and finally a stray spark on the floor below him had started a fire. It was put out before any more serious damage could be done though. So finally the landlord decided to do his job and use his money to fix the place instead of getting himself a new car. Thus all of the residents had to find other places to stay until the building had power and new wiring.

Thankfully Ryou's mom and dad had decided to keep his room as it was and had let him, and his stuff, move back in until everything at his apartment was straightened out. They had been a bit suspicious of his kitten Shira at first, but the feline stayed in his room most of the time and didn't really care for anyone other than her master.

Ryou pulled himself from his thoughts, finished up his e-mail and sent it off to Atoli before turning his computer off. He began stroking Shira before the kitten could start complaining again about his lack of attention. With a small sigh Shira curled closer to him. "Stupid cat…" Ryou grumbled still feeling the sting of her claws on his leg.

He frowned as he thought about how Skeith had reacted earlier. _Didn't he mention that we had quite a history together? _Ryou remembered suddenly. _There must be something I'm missing here…something I've forgotten, _he thought with a frown. _I'll get something to eat and think about it later, _he considered shaking his head.

It had been two weeks since Ryou had been unceremoniously expelled from his apartment, and his landlord had called earlier to tell him that he could move back in anytime. He could use really these next few days off to get settled back in again.

* * *

After spending a total of three days completely offline, Ryou was back in his own apartment and enjoying the peace and quiet. It had felt good to just be able to relax and only worry about school and his job. Thankfully he would be done with school soon. And at the moment Shira was eating so he didn't have to worry about being bothered by her, so he was ready to log back into The World. He powered up his computer, put his FMD on and entered the game.

Opening his eyes Haseo took a deep breath as Skeith's voice came to him. _What took you so long?! I've been waiting forever for you! _he growled angrily. Haseo rolled his eyes, _I have a life and a home outside of this game you know,_ he fired back sternly and the Avatar grumbled at that before coming alert again. _Something's wrong! There's an AIDA coming! It's HUGE! _Skeith warned as static sparked across the screen.

_What? Here in Breg Epona? _Haseo asked as a hole opened up in the sky and an AIDA with about a dozen flailing legs began pressing through. Great…not even a minute back in the game and _this_ happens. _Will I EVER have a normal life again?_ Haseo thought summoning Skeith as a gigantic scorpion type AIDA landed in the central square right on top of the quest shop.

It blinked once before locking its gaze on Skeith's white form. Narrowing its many eyes the scorpion snapped its tail forward with incredible speed, nearly impaling the Avatar in the process. Haseo danced out of the way just in time as players scattered and ran out of the area. He ordered Skeith to attack and the Terror of Death targeted the AIDA before firing off dozens of shots, but the attack did nothing.

_What is this thing? I've never seen an AIDA this big before! _Haseo thought as Skeith swung its scythe around in wide arc, sending shockwaves toward the scorpion. But instead of hitting they merely bounced off. The AIDA shot forward at a speed that shouldn't even be possible for a being of its size, and extended one of its' claws captured Skeith. "Let me go you stupid virus!"the Avatar roared punching and pounding on the scorpions claws but the AIDA wasn't letting go and none of their attacks did any damage.

Slowly the scorpion AIDA raised its tail and slammed the long spike on the end straight into Skeith's chest. Black dots swarmed onto and around the First Phase causing him to spasm and jerk uncontrollably. Haseo ordered his Avatar to do everything possible to get away but even their strongest attacks merely bounced away, not even scratching the surface. Even Cubia hadn't been able to resist Skeith's attacks like this.

The creature was so big it easily dwarfed the Terror of Death and there was really not much place to move even if they did escape. Haseo gritted his teeth as a wave of pain hit him and Skeith cried out. "You…won't…take…Haseo….AWAY FROM ME!" the Avatar roared furiously as his body began glowing a furious crimson. The glow became so bright and powerful that the AIDA let go and backed away slightly holding up its claws for defense.

Red tendrils shot out from the Avatar's body and slammed into the surrounding area, draining the data. "YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM!" Skeith screamed in an obvious rage and panic. _What are you doing? Stop it! _Haseo demanded but the Phase was out of control. Skeith continued absorbing the data into his body and Haseo felt as if he was being _dragged _towards something that he couldn't escape. The familiar feeling of the controller in his hands and the FMD on his head quickly faded away as he felt Skeith grab him.

_They can't take you from me! I won't let them take you from me! You are mine and no one else's! MINE! I won't lose you again! _Skeith howled frantically as he locked firmly onto Haseo's mind flooding it with images and memories that quickly overwhelmed him with their speed and intensity. _Skeith! Please! Stop it! I can't…_ Haseo tried to get out as the pain in his head grew more forceful. But Skeith was already in full control and frantically focused on getting Haseo and himself away from the scorpion AIDA in any way possible. His only thought was on not being separated from his user and he wasn't listening to reason. Moments later everything went dark and Haseo blacked out completely.

* * *

Chigusa had been in The World using Atoli as usual when suddenly the power cut out. Quickly pulling the FMD off of her head she looked around curiously. Her parents weren't home, as always, so she couldn't ask them what happened. She had been in Breg Epona when people started screaming and suddenly there was a crimson glow; then just moments later the power had gone out completely.

_What's going on here? Is this because of what just happened in The World? _Chigusa thought flipping the light switch a few times, but nothing happened. She frowned and moved away from her computer and went into the kitchen, thankfully her cookies had just finished baking so she didn't have to worry about throwing them out or something.

Chigusa pulled the tray out of the oven and set the cookies on the counter to cool off as she considered things, _Things have been so strange lately…I wouldn't be surprised if The World really was the cause of this blackout, _she thought sitting down at the table, there was nothing she could do for the moment but wait for the power to come back on.

Hours later the power flicked back on; looking up at the clock she saw that it was close to midnight. Chigusa turned on her computer and checked the news, immediately catching the headline, Teenager falls into mysterious coma. She watched closely as the new report rolled on.

"18-year-old Ryou Misaki is the son of wealthy businessman Misano Misaki and was ago found unresponsive on the floor of his apartment. He has been taken to the hospital but doctors are baffled as to why he has fallen into a coma-like condition. Reports say that although the teenager is still not responding to outside stimuli, there is highly elevated brain activity. Which means that _something _is clearly happening to him, and he is still alive and well," the reporter said.

"He is known to be an avid player of the popular MMORPG known as 'The World' and some think that may have something to do with this unusual case," they rambled on as a picture popped up on the screen. Chigusa felt her heart skip a beat the minute she saw the photo. _Those eyes…they're just like Haseo's,_ she thought feeling very uneasy. But there was no way that guy could be Haseo's player, it wasn't possible…or was it?

Immediately Chigusa switched the new off and wrote a quick e-mail to her friend. He was good about responding to e-mails quickly so it should only be a few minutes right? Haseo would respond, tell her that she was just be paranoid and ask if she shouldn't be the one taking some time off instead. But still Chigusa waited anxiously as her eyes continued to dart back and forth to the clock on her wall. When he didn't respond she sent another one. 10 minutes later there was still no response. She entered The World and checked her party list; the roster showed that he was online and she fired off a short mail that bounced back, unsent, a second later. Chigusa felt her heart plummet from her chest as she tried several times more but to no avail.

All night she altered between e-mail and short messages asking the other G.U. members if they knew anything, her worry and fear growing with every message she sent, but Haseo hadn't spoken to them either and they hadn't seen him at all. Chigusa knew that something terrible had happened to him, she could feel it in every fiber of her being. But no matter how many messages she sent…Haseo never responded.

* * *

**AN:** HA! How's that for a cliffhanger? I hope that was enough drama for you all :) Skeith has flipped out and poor Haseo is REALLY going to suffer for it. Next chapter you find out what's happened and Aihane appears again. (And he's none to happy about the situation.) I'll get the next chapter up ASAP so press that pretty little button and tell me what you think! Until next time everyone!


	11. Two Halves of the Same Whole

**AN:** Now some might be worried about how "clingy" Skeith was in the last chapter so I'm going to say this once for you all to see.

Skeith is NOT romantically attracted to Haseo (get your minds out of the gutters people!!). There are other reasons for his freak-out last chapter and Yata will be explaining that further on. This story is, shall, and will remain a HaseoxAtoli pairing. So read on and enjoy.

Chapter 11: Two Halves of the Same Whole

* * *

A new day had come and all the members of G.U. were gathered impatiently on the bridge of Netslum Tartarga. Atoli was clearly upset and Pi kept frowning and muttering to herself as she flipped through various screens and reports. Finally the woman waved her hand and the screens disappeared as Yata turned to face the group.

Kuhn, who kept fidgeting, couldn't stay quiet any longer, "So is it true? Is that teenager Ryou Misaki who's all over the news really Haseo's player?" he blurted suddenly and everyone turned to their Guild Master, waiting expectantly for his answer. Yata nodded slowly, "Unfortunately, yes. Yesterday afternoon Aihane sent a new AIDA, that has yet to be classified, into the central area of Breg Epona," he began as the footage rolled and showed the battle between Skeith and the scorpion AIDA.

There was a red flash of light that dominated the screen for several long seconds, and when it finally faded, Skeith had disappeared. The last few seconds of the footage showed the AIDA crawling back through the hole it had come out of and the video stopped.

Yata snapped his fingers and the recording went off, "We're not sure what happened exactly, but what we do know is that Skeith has taken control of Haseo and locked his mind within The World, while his body lies unresponsive in the hospital in a comatose condition," he continued adjusting his glasses. Saku scowled at that information, "But why? What's the deal with his Avatar flipping out like this?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

Kuhn thought for a moment, "I was there when it happened and heard Skeith shouting something about not being separated from Haseo. I've never heard anyone sound so...possessive" he commented and then frowned, "I mean I know he's not even human but…Skeith isn't, you know…attracted to Haseo or something is he?" Kuhn asked tentatively and Saku took a step away from the Steam Gunner, "EWWW!" she squealed in disgust. Kuhn threw up his hands, "Hey, I'm just saying…!" he responded quickly.

For a moment Yata looked as if he was going to laugh, but then he regained his composure and cleared his throat. "Hardly. In order to find the reason as to why Skeith is so 'attached' to Haseo, you have to go back to when the First Phase was created. In the previous version of The World, R:1, back when Morganna was still around, there was a player who went by the name of 'Sora' and he was easily one of the most skilled PC's in the entire game. He was also an infamous Player Killer," Yata explained motioning to Pi.

She turned to the group and began explaining, "For a brief amount of time Sora teamed up with Morganna and helped run her errands. But when Sora turned on her she decided to...exact her revenge so to speak," Pi commented carefully. "Morganna used her power to rewrite Sora's data into Skeith," she added and Kuhn thought about that, "So Skeith was created from Sora's data?" he questioned and Yata grunted in acknowledgement.

"Precisely, and Ryou Misaki, the player behind Sora, fell into a coma as a result. But because Morganna used a players data instead of her own, this resulted in something that is still being examined and studied to this day," Yata told them and Endrance hummed at that, "We all know that being Data Drained affects a person's mind…so having his data transformed into Skeith means…that part of Ryou's consciousness was taken from him and was used as a basis on which to create Skeith's emotions and feelings…am I right?" Endrance questioned.

Yata raised an eyebrow at that, "Your flashes of insight never cease to amaze me. Yes, everything you just said is absolutely correct. All of the Avatars are alive, but Skeith is tied to Ryou on a much deeper level then CC Corp previously thought or could imagine. And all of the fighting they've done over these past few months has 'fused' their minds together in a way that shouldn't even be possible," the Macabre Dancer clarified.

Pi picked up the explanation, "You see; the Terror of Death holds _half_ of who Haseo really is; Skeith's thoughts, feelings, and even some of his memories are all tied to Ryou's mind. When they were separated and he woke up, Ryou's memories of The World vanished, and to this day it's unlikely that he remembers those days, despite the fact that he decided to start playing The World again. Everything that happened during that time is buried within Skeith's memories…within a mind that perfectly reflects his user, Haseo," she stated darkly.

Yata shook his head, "And now their minds are so tightly fused together that they depend on one another to exist. When they were separated before, Ryou Misaki merely suffered emotional damage, becoming withdrawn and antisocial. He distanced himself from others and became very frustrated and angry at everyone around him," he added and Kuhn nodded, "That's right! Now that I think about it…it wasn't until AFTER he learned how to summon Skeith that Haseo really started to change," he reflected.

Looking at each of them in turn Yata said, "And that leads us to the reason as to why Skeith is so possessive not just of the PC, but of Ryou himself. If those two were ever to be _truly_ split apart, Haseo's epitaph taken from him, the bond they've built shattered, and their minds torn from each other…it's doubtful that either one would be able to survive the mental and emotional damage that resulted. And even if they did, it would be as if both had lost half of their soul, as if their hearts had been ripped straight out of their chest," Yata stated ominously.

Atoli clasped her hands together in front of her, "The chance that Skeith might never recover from that kind of damage is enormous. He might not 'die' from it…but the end result would be more or less the same. He would be nothing but an empty shell, a useless puppet ready for anyone to start pulling the strings, " she whispered softly.

Endrance looked over at her, "And the same would happen to Ryou…their minds are now one, they are two halves of the same hole. Mirror reflections of one another. Take one away…and neither will be able to function. While it's true that both are on better terms and might even be called friends; the truth goes much deeper then mere companionship. Skeith NEEDS Ryou Misaki in order to survive and exist; the Terror of Death knows this and will protect Haseo at all costs," he said dismally.

Yata turned and looked out the window, a grim look on his face, "If Aihane does manage to separate Haseo and Skeith…then it's all but assured that both will never recover from it. There are really only two outcomes if something like this were to happen: Ryou simply never wakes up as a result of the trauma to his brain, or he _does_ wake up and feels so empty and full of despair that he commits suicide," Yata finished looking down at the floor. Stunned by this information no one could think of anything to say.

* * *

Maybe it hadn't been the _smartest_ move ever to send his strongest AIDA fragment directly into Breg Epona like that, but then again Aihane wasn't feeling very charitable at the moment. He clenched his fists as he thought about how close he had been to capturing both Skeith and Innis in one fell swoop.

_They were here! On my personal network! Just a second longer and I would have captured both of them! _he fumed, gripping the table in order to keep from lashing out at something around him. Aihane took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Getting angry wouldn't change what had already happened. The First and Second Phase were gone, and now Skeith had taken control and fled deep within the system, taking Haseo with him.

_Corbenik will learn soon enough to keep his mouth shut. He'll be my puppet soon enough, _Aihane relaxed as he watched his computer search for Skeith and Haseo. So far it was as if they had vanished not just from The World, but from the entire network as well, they just couldn't be found. But at the same time his other sensors showed that Skeith was still inside The World…it just couldn't tell him_ where_.

Aihane scowled as this unexpected development, _It would seem that Skeith's prowess at maneuvering through data is far greater than I originally expected. But he's still not skilled enough to remove or even find the slave device that's growing within him, _he considered and the thought helped soothe his rage.

_Besides, once I separate Haseo's conscious from Skeith's, the Terror of Death will be a near mindless, empty shell, ready to be controlled and enslaved, _Aihane thought ahead to his future plans. _When that day comes its doubtful that Ryou Misaki will survive the trauma and stress, and it'll be that much easier getting Skeith to do as I say. After all, one can't survive without the other, but by then the slave device will have taken over and the First Phase will not be able to use any of his knowledge or power against me, _Aihane smirked at the thought.

He glanced over at his other computer and saw Scorpius, the AIDA he had sent to Breg Epona waiting patiently for his orders. Aihane knew that he would have to keep a close eye on that one as well; unlike the smaller fragments this one still had some free will left remaining in it and could even give orders to the AIDA below it.

Scorpius would accept Aihane as its master only as long as the human retained the image of being stronger and smarter. The second the hacker slipped up and made the wrong move...it would order all of the AIDA to destroy him.

* * *

Atoli sighed heavily as she leaned against the wall. None of the members of G.U. had actually left Net Slum Tartarga; instead they had simply spread out through the streets and alleys of the floating city to think about what Yata had just told them. Yata himself, along with Pi and Zelkova, was still on the bridge searching for any and all signs of either Skeith or Haseo.

_What do we do now? _Atoli mulled over sadly as she stared at the floor, _I had no idea that Haseo had been through so much already. I mean…I can't really blame him for being the way he is… and as for Skeith, _she was distracted from her thoughts as Kuhn walked over to her. "Hey there! You looked like you could used some company," he said with a smile, but she could hear the strain in his voice.

The harvest cleric looked away, too depressed to talk to him. Kuhn leaned closer, "Aww come on! Don't look so down Atoli! You need to be more optimistic; we'll find Haseo and smack some common sense into that thick skull Skeith has on his shoulders! Then he'll see the light and everything will be okay again!" he assured her with the same cheerful grin.

This time Atoli couldn't help but smile slightly at his attempts to make her happy. Kuhn was always there to cheer her up when she was upset, and seemed pop up on other 'convenient' occasions as well. Of course Pi had warned her about Kuhn's flirtatious nature; not that Atoli hadn't noticed from the moment she met him; she wasn't THAT naïve. It was true she did like him…but **only** as a friend and nothing more; he just wasn't her type. Still, that didn't keep Kuhn from trying at times.

Atoli sighed, "I just…I mean you really can't blame Skeith for reacting the way he did. When in danger, a person's first reaction is to protect themselves, and the Avatar's are no different in the respect. Skeith knows exactly what will happen if he's separated from Haseo, and that causes him to be controlling and possessive at times. In order to protect himself and stay…normal and 'sane'…Skeith _has to_ keep Haseo safe, and he's doing it in the only way he knows how. By sealing Ryou's mind inside the game so that he CAN'T leave," she considered aloud.

Kuhn nodded in agreement, "I've been thinking the same thing," he told her, "And when we finally do find Skeith, I doubt that he's going to freely hand over Haseo to us. I think we need to be prepared to fight him," he commented reluctantly as Atoli frowned slightly at those words.

"That won't work" a voice suddenly put in. Both looked over and saw Endrance standing there watching them, "What do mean?" Kuhn questioned curiously and the man scratched his chin. "Skeith has fought all of us before and won, even absorbing data from our Epitaphs. None of us are strong enough to beat him on our own, and if we were to go against Skeith together…then that will just make him even more desperate to protect Haseo, and thus by doing so protect himself," Endrance warned them with calm logic.

Atoli was growing more and more discouraged and was beginning to wonder if it was even possible to get Haseo back again at all when Endrance started talking to her, "That's why I think both you and I should be the ones to confront Skeith when the time comes," he decided and her head snapped up. Kuhn looked between the two, "Atoli? Why her?" he asked curiously.

Endrance ignored the steam gunner, "You know…don't you?" he questioned and Atoli nodded slowly and turned to Kuhn, "Originally I wasn't Innis' first choice. She chose Shino as her partner but when Shino fell into a coma Innis was separated from her, and gravitated to me instead," she explained sounding somewhat sad and Kuhn scowled at that, "Geez, Yata really _doesn't_ tell me anything! Why am I learning this just now?" Kuhn complained crossing his arms.

Endrance nodded in confirmation, "You may not have been the one Innis originally choose, but you're her partner now and she's not going to lose you. The Mirage of Deceit knows a little of what Skeith is feeling so she will be able to reason with him," he explained and Atoli seemed to take comfort in that. Endrance shifted his attention to Kuhn. "I too was a player of R:1, the first version of The World just like Ryou. I even met his PC once or twice I think. Back then Macha was a slightly 'erratic' PC known as Mia," he began carefully.

He went on to explain everything that had happened at that time. Endrance told them about Kite and Blackrose, how Mia had turned into Macha and then how they had been forced to fight and destroy her. How Mia had come back to him only to be captured and experimented on by CC Corp so that they could obtain Macha's data and use it for their own ends.

Kuhn and Atoli listened closely as he told them his story. Finally Endrance finished up telling them about how AIDA had used his fond memories of Mia to control his heart. "No one will ever truly understand how Skeith feels, even if the circumstances were the same individuals react differently. But Atoli and I can at least begin to understand what he's going through. If anyone can reason with Skeith and get him to understand that we're all here to help…then it will be us," Endrance explained clearly having thought things out.

"Yata and Pi have already agreed to my idea," the Blade Brandier added. Kuhn thought for a moment and then nodded, "Well, that all makes sense to me. But if we can't reason with Skeith…." he paused and Atoli narrowed her eyes with determination, "No, we WILL find Haseo and we'll be able to get Skeith to release Ryou's mind. We have to believe that," she said firmly.

Kuhn grinned, "That's the spirit! Skeith and the other Avatar's may only be made of data, but they can still be reasoned. Once the Terror of Death calms down a little, everything will turn out fine," he said and Atoli smiled at those words. _Just hold on Haseo…we're coming for you, _she thought clasping her hands together.

* * *

Haseo didn't know and didn't care about where he was. All he could focus on were the memories and images flying through his head and the pain that was slamming into his skull. If felt as if someone was taking a sledgehammer to it. It was as if the floodgates had been opened and couldn't be closed again.

He saw images of a twin blade Pking some players, a little girl dressed in white, Aura, an omnipresent voice, Morganna's voice, that seemed to come from all around him, a large monster holding a red staff, a searing pain as the Twin Blade, Sora, was Data Drained, loneliness at always being left out, anger at not having any friends, a desire to find the Key of the Twilight, a Wavemaster with white hair named Tsukasa, a strange cat-like PC, a strange upside down castle.

The Crimson Knights, waking up in the hospital, picking up The World for the first time, _Even in a world this vast I'm still alone! _Sora thought to himself, _I'll become the best, the strongest! I'll find the Key of the Twilight and then everyone will recognize me! _Sora takes out his first PC and becomes a Player Killer, a monster, Skeith, taking over his body and using it as a vessel.

Haseo screamed and clutched his head as the memories became faster and more intense, some playing several times others mere glimpses before they faded away. "Haseo?" a voice, not in his head but around him, close by. He managed to open his eyes and saw Alkaid standing there...Alkaid…Alkaid. Haseo stood up and backed away from her, in too much pain and confusion to really recognize her. But the recollection of what she had done was still there in his mind.

Memories of the Demon Palace Tournament flashed through his mind now pushing the other formerly forgotten images away. A red haired Twin Blade accusing him of cheating, an Awakening attack that nearly destroys him, a defeated Alkaid declaring that she'll defeat Haseo and expose him as the cheater he really is.

"Hey what's wrong? All the forums are talking about you, saying that you disappeared or something," Alkaid said taking a step forward and causing Haseo to take a step back and close his eyes as Skeith's emotions flooded him. She frowned at his actions, "Come on Haseo, lets get you out of here. I'll take you back and get you some help. Maybe you should log off or something," Alkaid suggested as she inched forward.

Haseo's eyes snapped open this time glowing blood red, "Take him back? Log off? Get out of here?" and Alkaid stopped dead in her tracks. That wasn't Haseo's voice at all, it was too deep and rough. Dropping his hands and eerie hiss came from his lips, "You want to take him back? Take him away? You want me gone don't you?! You think I'm just some cheat Haseo uses to get his way! A virus or bug to be destroyed don't you?! A program to be used and then disposed of whenever you like? You're just like the others, you don't want me to exist!" he roared angrily advancing on her.

Alkaid immediately remembered what Pi and the others had explained to her. _This must be Skeith…that monster Haseo uses. Did he take over Haseo's body or something? _she thought backing up as the dual gunners gloves were shredded to reveal long claws that continued growing. Several long red swords tore out of his back causing Haseo to stumble forward. Skeith/Haseo narrowed burning crimson eyes, "You can't have him! You won't destroy me! No one can destroy me! I WON'T LET YOU KILL ME!" he bellowed leaping forward with claws extended.

* * *

**AN: **This must be the fastest I've ever updated….I mean it only took me like three days to actually finish this. But anyway I hope you all liked the drama! Sorry to leave you like this but you'll find out what happens to Alkaid in the next chapter.

Will Alkaid survive? Will Skeith be reasoned with? Will Haseo even be found? Keep reading to find out. Please review everybody!


	12. Death's Shadow

**AN: **Thanks for reading so far everyone! In this chapter Sirius and Alkaid get a little more of the spotlight. Plus you'll get to see Skeith's new attack, just another reason why they call him the 'Terror of Death' I suppose. So please go on and enjoy what happens next!

Chapter 12: Death's Shadow

* * *

Alkaid only had enough time to send off a flash mail to Sirius telling him her location and asking for help before Skeith/Haseo slammed into her, pinning her to the ground with his claws. The empress could only watch in horror as the transformation continued, turning her friend into the white monster she had seen before. When the change was complete Skeith leaned forward.

Examining her closely the Avatar spoke, "You want me gone don't you?" his deep voice demanded, "Just like those at CC Corp who tried to use me and then delete me when I couldn't be controlled!" he snapped slamming a fist down next to her head. Skeith's eyes glowed with anger and rage, "I'm nothing to them, just a string of numbers and meaningless garbage! A bug that they wish to destroy merely because they don't understand and don't want to understand!" he continued unclenching his fist and lifting it as he prepared to attack.

Alkaid struggled to get out of his grip but to no avail, "Wait! I'm not your enemy; I'm your friend! I'm trying to help you!" she protested desperately but Skeith snorted at that, "Friend? **I** am Haseo's friend! Unlike you other pathetic humans he thinks of me as a living being, not just a monster to be controlled and then thrown away! He needs me to survive and I need him!" Skeith shouted pointing to himself.

The Twin Blade frowned at that, "Needs you to survive? What do you mean?" she asked trying to keep him talking in an attempt to stall his attack. Skeith hesitated for a brief moment and then shook his head, "No…I wouldn't expect you or anyone else to understand me," he dropped his arm and stared at his claws.

The Avatar seemed distracted for a moment, "For once in my existence…I finally have someone I can call a friend. Ryou actually thinks of me as being _alive_ and he treats me with respect and dignity. He treats me like a person, whereas those fools at CC Corp merely wanted my power, they cared nothing about my feelings or who I was," Skeith explained darkly.

Skeith clenched his fist once again, "For the first time…I actually have a reason for being here…for being…alive," he said quietly before pressing her down harder into the ground, "And I am _not_ going to let you or anyone else take that from me!" he roared eyes burning brighter and locking with hers. "Death's Shadow" Skeith growled and Alkaid had only one brief moment of terror before everything went black.

The darkness was devoid of life and seemed to stretch on forever. Alkaid was floating in the vast expanse and couldn't feel the rest of her body, but still she felt a sudden chill. _Geez, why is it so cold? I shouldn't be able to feel anything inside a game, _she thought sensing another presence somewhere in the darkness surrounding her. A mind that was so massive it easily dwarfed hers.

It loomed over her, a monster, a mass of pure thought and information whose presence alone bid fair to smother her completely. Suddenly it moved closer, examining her slowly, like a lion investigating a mouse, unsure of whether to eat it or merely toy around with it for a while. Alkaid felt all of her strength pulled from her, and the freezing temperature dropped even further. If she could feel anything she would have been in spasms from the cold. It felt like countless hours had passed before she felt any change.

There was a deep laugh as light flared around her and instantly Alkaid was fixed to a large pole with her arms tied together, she was in the middle of an empty white room. A large metal spike suddenly appeared in the air in front of her. Alkaid was confused for a brief second before it shot forward and straight though her waist and stuck there, sending fire-like daggers of pain through her body like lightning. She couldn't help but scream from the sudden agony she felt.

Then all of a sudden the spike vanished and the pain along with it. Alkaid gasped heavily, _What was that? Is this all just in my imagination? But how is it that I can feel anything? What did Skeith do to me?_ she thought as a deep rumble shook the bleak area around her. It took her a moment before she realized that it was the sound of laughter.

Once again the Twin Blade could feel that presence close by, this time it completely eclipsed Alkaid, forcing itself in and tearing her mind apart, blasting it with information and data so quickly that she just couldn't handle it. "S-STOP IT!" she screamed desperately as dozens of more spikes appeared in the air around her ready to attack. _Don't worry…I'm not going to kill you. No. I want you…to __**suffer**_, Skeith's voice echoed as all of the metal spikes shot towards her body.

* * *

Sirius was running as fast as he could through the area Alkaid had mentioned in her brief flash mail. _She seemed almost…scared, _he thought gritting his teeth in frustration as he ran through the canyon field or wilderness, he wasn't sure what it was called and didn't really care at the moment.

All he could think about was what might have happened. Nothing scared Alkaid. She was one of the strongest people he knew, both physically and emotionally. For her to be scared of something or even slightly concerned was a cause for major alarm. Sirius paused for a moment as some monsters ambushed him, "I don't have time for this!" he roared quickly dispatching them before moving on. There was still one last portion of the field that he hadn't checked yet.

The Tribal Grappler stopped to look around, _This is the right field, so where IS she? _he thought growing more concerned by the minute. Sirius had sent several messages asking Alkaid what was wrong but the first two had been answered with brief words. The next three had been met with meaningless phrases and symbols, and the last two…hadn't been answered at all. Alkaid ALWAYS answered his messages and emails…even if it was just to complain about him contacting her, which was more often than not.

Sirius tore himself from his thoughts as he spotted a large white figure with seven swords on its back standing off to his right. He quickly ran over there and stopped dead in his tracks at what he saw, _Isn't that…Skeith? _Sirius thought his eyes sliding downwards to where the monster was pinning _something_ to the ground. Immediately he recognized the red haired player as his closest friendly enemy. Skeith was pinning Alkaid to the ground with one of his hands. He was leaning close to her and almost seemed to be staring straight into her eyes.

The Twin Blade jerked violently and her eyes widened before she gave a piercing scream as if she was being tortured…or killed. It was a sound that nearly made Sirius' heart stop. He had never heard _anyone_ make that kind of sound and it send chills up his spine now. "ALKAID!" Sirius shouted as her body sagged and her head lolled to one side, her eyes wide and haunted by whatever attack had just been used on her.

Sirius jumped forward to try and stop the Avatar, but Skeith easily knocked him away and looked down at him with contempt and disgust. "Foolish humans…you shouldn't mess around with things you don't understand," he warned as Sirius got back to his feet warily, ready to defend himself; though in his heart he knew it wouldn't do much good.

Skeith stared at the former Holy Palace emperor as he continued speaking, "Haseo…Ryou is my friend, and I will not lose him again! I…we will not fade back into the darkness! We have found a place where I…where we belong! We will not die because some humans decided that we do not belong here in this world!" he shouted sounding more desperate than angry. Sirius took not of the fact that Skeith had switched from using 'I' to the word 'we'.

The Avatar summoned a large scythe in his right hand and Sirius backed up thinking he was about to be attacked. But Skeith swung the weapon around above his head and the resulting shockwave sliced open a hole in the data. The monster looked back at them for a moment before jumping through, the hole closing seamlessly behind the Avatar.

When the creature had gone Sirius leapt forward and over to Alkaid who was just lying there lifelessly. The Tribal Grappler gently picked her up in his arms, "Alkaid?" he questioned hesitantly, disturbed by her empty, vacant eyes. "Alkaid!" Sirius shook her roughly but she simply sagged to one side, unresponsive. _What happened to her? What did she see or experience that made her scream like that?_ he wondered growing more apprehensive by the second.

Alkaid was clearly in shock or something, so she couldn't log off. Speaking of which what had happened to her real body? Was she unconscious? Had she fallen into a coma again? Sirius pushed away the fear that was quickly beginning to take over; he had to think about this calmly. But it wasn't easy when his closest, and only real, friend was lying in his arms as if all the life had been sucked out of her.

Sirius gritted his teeth, "Alkaid…what happened to you?" he whispered softly his voice full of worry and concern. He shifted his arms to get a better grip and gently picked her up; but what did he do now? Where did he take Alkaid to get help?

There was a soft cry as Alkaid stirred slightly, "Please d-don't…I can't…too much…can't t-take it all," she groaned as her eyes continued staring off into space. Sirius felt his heart skip a beat, "Alkaid? Alkaid can you hear me?" he asked urgently and she hissed with pain. "S-So cold. It hurts…it hurts everywhere," she whimpered closing her eyes and turning her face into his shoulder as her body trembled.

She shivered again and her hand gripped his arm tightly, "It…it feels like…there are knives sticking out of me…like my bodies on fire," Alkaid murmured softly, her voice weak and distant, as if she was still trapped somewhere. And when she opened her eyes they were still vacant; like she wasn't really there, like she couldn't even see him at all. "It's gone…so why…does it still…hurt so much?" Alkaid asked no one in particular.

Sirius gritted his teeth angrily, _The first time she was attacked by AIDA was bad enough…why does she have to go through something like this again? _he remembered how Alkaid had tried to help him when AIDA was controlling him. She had tried to bring him back only to suffer herself. _I don't know what happened to you…but I'll help you somehow…I promise, _he vowed carrying Alkaid as he headed for the closest warp platform he could find.

But what was up with Skeith? Didn't Haseo control him? Did that mean that something had happened to the Dual Gunner? Sirius remembered seeing a news report about some kid named Ryou Misaki but he hadn't thought anything of it. Then again Skeith had mentioned a Ryou, so was it possible that they were the same person? _I have to contact Pi and Yata from the Guild Raven. They're involved in all this so they'd better know what's going on, _he thought looking down at Alkaid who was still in her own world.

Sure he was proud, confident, and an arrogant prick as Alkaid liked to call him, but he was anything if not loyal to his friends. He wasn't a person to say such sappy things of course; instead he preferred to show by his actions that he was dependable. Sirius would be the one to help _her_ this time around. He didn't know how exactly but there had to be some way to snap her out of this, there HAD to be.

* * *

Yata frowned at the screens in front of him. There had been a sudden spike in data, a unique flux that could only have come from an Avatar. He had been able to get a brief lock on Skeith's position but then just as quickly it had disappeared and just like that Skeith was gone. _What happened? The First Phase couldn't have stayed in that area for more then a minute or two before leaving, _Yata considered rubbing his eyes; he had been at this for several hours straight.

There was a movement behind him and he felt a hand on his arm, "Master Yata you should take it easy, you've been searching for Haseo for _hours _now. Your not going to find anything if your asleep on your feet," Pi emphasized gently. The Guild Master shook his head, "No…I can't stop until I find out where he is," Yata countered resolutely as he went back to his investigation.

Pi sighed slightly and turned back to her own search; Yata didn't really like to show his emotions, but at the moment he really _was_ worried about Haseo's safety. Her head jerked up as she got a flash mail. Yata was pulled from his thoughts once again when Pi cleared her throat. Slight annoyance clear, Yata crossed his arms and turned around to see what she wanted now. He was a busy man and didn't have time for such interruptions.

"It's Sirius sir, he says that Alkaid is hurt and he needs to talk to us right away," Pi explained and then paused as another one came. She gasped in surprise, "Sirius says that he's seen Skeith! Apparently Alkaid sent him a message just before Skeith attacked her, and now she's unresponsive," Pi commented with a frown. Yata waved his hand, "Tell him to go to the Chaos Gate, I'll make sure he gets here to Net Slum," he grunted and she nodded before sending a reply.

Moments later Sirius walked in carrying Alkaid in his arms. Yata eyed her for a moment before typing in a command that would analyze her data and pick out any unusual anomalies. But it came back negative. Pi narrowed her eyes as she leaned closer to the empress, asking Sirius some questions. When he told her the area she hummed and looked up, "Tartarga do we have footage of what happened?" Pi questioned and a screen appeared in front of them.

There was static for several seconds before a picture appeared, showing Haseo's rapid transformation into Skeith. They watched as the Avatar attacked her and uttered the words "Death's Shadow" before Alkaid went still. Then not a minute later she screamed and the footage showed Sirius rushing in. But then the static increased until the screen went blank, when it came back on the area was empty.

Forgive me, but that is all I could find, Tartarga responded retracting the screen. Yata narrowed his eyes at that information, "It was hoping CC Corp had managed to rid him of that technique," he murmured ominously. Sirius looked down at Alkaid who muttered and made small whimpers occasionally. "_That_ technique? What do you mean? What did Skeith do to her?" he demanded gruffly.

Pi and Yata exchanged a glance, "It is Skeith's most powerful technique because it plays on a person's mind and fears," the Macabre Dancer replied hesitantly. "Most people make the false assumption that they aren't 'linked' to The World or the network merely because they're wearing an FMD or staring at a computer screen," Yata carefully explained.

Pi turned to her fellow Tribal Grappler, "But in reality their minds couldn't _be_ more connected. When a person looks at something with their eyes, the information travels directly to their brains. Have you ever noticed that it's easier to concentrate when you keep your eyes focused on one particular thing?" she asked and Sirius nodded slowly. "I understand but that still doesn't answer my question," he growled, clearly wanting answers.

Yata ignored the snappish comment, "Skeith's nickname is the 'Terror of Death.' His truly strong abilities are not physical but mental. By using the technique 'Death's Shadow' he is able to cast an illusion over the person, make them see and feel things that aren't really there, yet feel all too real at the same time. While in this 'fantasy world' he can do anything he wants to his victim," Yata continued and Sirius unconsciously tightened his grip on Alkaid at those words.

The Guild Master shook his head, "By using that attack Skeith gained complete and total control over Alkaid's mind. And his sheer presence alone was enough to send her into shock," Yata said nodding to the Twin Blade who was still muttering nonsense into Sirius' shoulder. "Skeith along with everything else in The World and on the network is made of data; to put it simply he exists in a different world than ours you might say," Yata told him.

When Sirius nodded in understanding Yata continued, "So when Skeith linked with Alkaid's consciousness, even for that brief moment after using his attack, all the compressed data and information that makes up his body also rushed through her mind in just a few seconds and she just couldn't absorb it all. The truth is Skeith could have easily killed her if he so desired; the fact that he didn't shows that he's not out to get rid of anybody. If anything he's frustrated and angry…he's not thinking clearly," Yata concluded adjusting his glasses.

Sirius was quiet as he looked down at his friend, "So Alkaid…she's…going to be okay isn't she?" he asked hesitantly and Pi nodded, "There's really nothing we can do for her, but she should recover on her own within the next hour. I think it would be best if you stayed with her until then, she'll no doubt be delirious and confused by what's happened," she suggested and the former emperor merely gave a grunt in response and looked away, acting tough to hide how concerned he really was.

They were all alerted by a sudden beeping sound. Pardon me, but I'm getting a message from Azure Kite, Azure Balmung, and Azure Orca. Apparently they have a lock on Skeith and are following him from a distance right now. What should I tell them? Tartarga requested after pausing for a moment.

Yata thought about that. "Tell them not to attack or engage him, he'll just fight back. When Skeith stops we'll go and try to talk with him," he responded. Affirmative. Contacting them now….they understand and will follow your plan, Tartarga replied before going silent once again. The Guild Master turned to Pi, "Contact Endrance and Atoli. They are the only once who have a chance of reasoning with Skeith," he ordered and then added, "Call Kuhn as well, he can back them up if anything happens," Yata commanded and she nodded before going off to do as he said.

He turned back to Sirius, "You stay here until Alkaid wakes up, we'll take care of Haseo," Yata told the other player before warping out.

* * *

The Terror of Death knew he was being pursued, but as long as the Azure Knights kept their distance he didn't have a problem. A part of Skeith wondered if he was doing the right thing but that notion was quickly pushed aside. _I don't have a choice. Ryou and I cannot survive without each other…and I __**will not**__ allow myself to be destroyed, _he thought clenching his fists.

For a long time Skeith had been thinking and wonder what his reason for being here was. After all if he didn't have a reason for living then he might as well be dead, or just another mindless program.

Humans had hopes and dreams, thoughts and ideas that they wanted to see become a reality. _But what about me? _Skeith thought looking down at his claws, _Why am __**I**__ here? What's the point of __**my**__ existence? Is it merely to obey humans? _he snarled and pushed that notion away. He was ALIVE and he was a slave to no one, he obeyed Ryou and had chosen him over all others because he respected the boy, not because he HAD to follow him, or anyone else for that matter. But no matter how hard he tried…Skeith just couldn't find the answer.

* * *

**AN: **How did you like it? Not the most exciting I know but next time…Haseo is found! And Atoli and Endrance try to reason with Skeith. We'll just have to wait and see how well that one turns out. So please review everyone! Reviews help keep the inspiration alive! So press that button down at the bottom…please? Once again thank you everyone for reading! Next chapter will be up soon. Until next time everyone!


	13. Perilous Existance

**AN:** Now I know you people have been hungering for another HaseoxAtoli scene and I personally have been ready to unleash my itchy fingers and let them fly! So the last part of this chapter will contain a little bit of fluff for all of you! Hope you enjoy it. But first Skeith must be reasoned into letting Haseo's mind go. So continue on and PLEASE review everyone! Plus this chapter will be a bit longer then the others.

Chapter 13: Perilous Existence

* * *

Atoli took a deep breath as she thought about Haseo. _Will this really work? I mean…what if Skeith doesn't listen to us? _she thought nervously as she waited for Kuhn to arrive. Endrance had already showed up and was silent as usual, so the Harvest Cleric was left to her thoughts; which were none to comforting. The First Phase had finally settled down in one area and Yata had ordered them to head out before Skeith took off again.

She looked up as someone warped into Dol Donna. Kuhn rubbed his neck, "Sorry I took so long. I was um…a bit distracted. But I came as soon as I got the message," he said sheepishly, meaning that he'd been on a 'date' with one of his many female friends. Atoli forced herself to smile at him, "Don't worry about it. You're here now and that's all that matters," she said with a note of urgency in her voice.

Endrance turned to them, "We must hurry, Haseo needs our help," he affirmed as Kuhn accepted the party invitation. The Steam Gunner nodded, "Right. We need to get there before Skeith decides to leave. The Azure Knights can't keep him there forever," he agreed quickly running through the items he had just bought. You never could be too careful after all.

The two men looked over at Atoli and Kuhn had to call her name several times before she looked up, "Oh…I'm sorry did you say something?" she questioned with a clear air of distraction as her eyes kept flicking back to the Chaos Gate. Endrance put a hand on her shoulder, "Skeith won't let anything bad happen to Haseo. We'll find him and get him back. Try not to worry so much," he assured her and Atoli sighed heavily.

She forced herself to be more optimistic, "Sorry guys…I just…" Atoli stopped and shook her head. "No. Kuhn's right we need to stop standing around here in town talking and get moving. We can't waste any more time," she added standing up straighter. Endrance stared at her for a moment but then turned to the Chaos Gate and selected the right area words.

They warped out and moments later arrived in the cave dungeon. The three Azure Knights were standing there waiting for them. Kite lifted his head and stared at them, "Come" he grunted immediately. He lifted his arm and azure fire swirled around the group transporting them to the deepest room in the area. A large dead end place that was devoid of monsters, treasure chests, or even chim chims.

And sitting in the far corner as far away from the entrance as possible…was Skeith. Atoli turned to the Azure Knights, "Thank you very much, but we can handle the rest," she said gratefully and Kite gave a groan before leaving with Balmung and Orca in a swirl of fire. They turned back to Skeith who was watching them carefully for any signs that they would attack or try to harm him.

Kuhn took a step back as the Avatar's red eyes burned brighter, "Uh…why don't you two take care of this one?" he asked with a nervous chuckle, "After all I'm just here to back you up after all," he added pushing Atoli forward. "Just act confident and no one will know the difference," Kuhn whispered to her before giving the Harvest Cleric another nudge for support.

Endrance walked forward and Atoli hesitated for a moment before hurrying after him. She stood up straighter and tried to look as confident as possible; she couldn't mess this up. _This might be our one and only chance to get Skeith to listen us. To get him to see that we're his friends and not out to get rid of him, _Atoli thought with another stab of concern as they moved closer.

Skeith for his part narrowed his eyes as the Temptress and the Mirage of Deceit moved closer to him. The Propagation was staying farther back, a wise decision as far as he was concerned. _What do they want? Most likely to get their precious Haseo back, _he thought standing up defensively. _That's all they care about…the only thing they care about is him. I bet they couldn't care less about how __**I**__ feel about all of this, _he thought darkly.

_It doesn't matter to them that we Avatars are the ones being targeted, or that we're the one's who will end up as slaves if their ideas go down the drain,_ Skeith considered standing up and taking a defensive position. The two Epitaph Users stopped dead in their tracks and he could see the hazy outlines of Macha and Innis hovering above their users. "What now? I take it you want your precious friend back?" Skeith demanded angrily.

The Temptress, (what was his name again? Oh, right, Endrance or something) shook his head, "No…we just want to talk with you. You must be disturbed by what's going on with Aihane," Endrance told him and that threw the Avatar off. _Talk…with me?_ Skeith thought, immediately suspicious at those words. That couldn't be the reason; they MUST want something else from him.

The Terror of Death clenched his fists, "No…no your lying…you lied to Haseo once before during the Sage Palace Tournament so how do I know your telling me the truth now?" he accused bringing up that image from Haseo's memories. Endrance frowned but didn't respond to that, making Skeith even more uneasy. The Avatar was ready to leave the area completely when the girl stepped forward. (Her name was Atoli wasn't it?)

"Skeith…have **I** ever lied to you?" Atoli asked him and immediately the Phase was ready to say yes when something strange happened; Ryou didn't _have_ any bad memories of her…not a single one. Sure there were times when Haseo got angry with Atoli, but that was usually his own fault, not hers. Skeith stared straight at the girl trying to puzzle this out; surely she must have tried to hurt Haseo in _some_ way. But the more he delved into his users memories the more reasons he found _not_ to dislike her.

Finally Skeith relented, "No…you haven't…not once," he grudgingly admitted and then shook his head, "But I'm not Haseo. How do I know you really want to talk with me? Maybe you just want to convince me to give Ryou back," he shot back defensively. Atoli took a step forward seemingly unafraid, she could tell that they were on shaky ground right now so she made a move that her teammates would no doubt think was foolhardy and stupid.

Atoli looked back over her shoulder and gave a confident smile, "Endrance, Kuhn, why don't you go back to town? I think it would be best if I talked to Skeith by myself," she offered and the First Phase thought about that. If she was here alone then she wouldn't be able to call for back up. _Maybe…she's trying to show me that she can be trusted, _Skeith contemplated as he remained silent.

Kuhn's jaw dropped open to protest, but before he could Endrance interrupted. "Very well then. I trust your judgment," he said tonelessly before turning and walking out of the room. Kuhn looked back and forth before scowling slightly and flashing Skeith a slightly dirty look. "Be careful Atoli," he warned and she nodded but didn't take her eyes off of the Avatar in front of her.

When they were alone she sat down in front of him. Seeming completely comfortable in his presence. Skeith was shocked, he expected her to be afraid, Kuhn clearly was and Endrance had been on edge as well. But Atoli…she didn't seem bothered at all. Almost as if talking to him wasn't the least bit unusual. _What is she up to? _Skeith thought his former suspicion returning in full force; there was no way he was going to trust her so easily…even if Haseo did have a major soft spot for her. But still, he was a tad impressed by how calm she was, or seemed to be at least.

* * *

Inside Atoli was a nervous wreck. All she could think about were all the things that could go wrong if she messed this up; what might happen to Haseo if she failed. If she did something wrong then he might never be returned to the real world. She might never see him again, and that thought only served to increase her anxiety and fear. Her hands were sweating and quaking violently, her voice threatened to break at any moment and her confidence was at an all time low.

Quickly she shook her head, _Stop it! Your going to fall apart before you even get anything accomplished! It's up to me to help bring Haseo back! Dwelling on all of the bad points isn't going to help my self confidence any, _she chastised while firmly pushing all negative thoughts out of her mind. Skeith was clearly apprehensive, searching for any and all reasons not to trust her, so the Harvest Cleric knew that she had to be careful. But now that Kuhn and Endrance were gone maybe the Terror of Death would be more willing to listen to her.

Atoli looked up and smiled warmly; and prayed that it looked convincing. "I know we're not exactly friends but I was hoping maybe we could talk about everything that's been going on," she offered sincerely and Skeith remained silent. Not telling her to continue, but not stopping her either. Bravely she forged on, "I've been talking with Innis lately and she's been really worried about this whole thing with Aihane. So you must be angry and upset too, especially since you have a deeper connection to Hase…to Ryou," she corrected with a hint of sadness.

"You miss him…" Skeith said curiously, pulling Atoli from her thoughts. She sighed slightly, "It's just…you two have been through so much and I…I just wish that there was something I could do to help you both," she said sincerely and Skeith for his part just couldn't understand what was up with this strange human. She seemed to genuinely want to help him. It was…baffling. No human he'd ever seen had been truly interested in him before.

Finally he leaned closer, "Help? The only one you want to help is Haseo; you don't care about how I feel…no one cares about how I feel. I could disappear forever and no one would care…no one would even notice the difference. After all as far as the rest of the world is concerned…I'm not even real," Skeith snapped bitterly, his resentment and hatred obvious. And that was true; if Skeith were to 'die' the majority of people would never even notice the difference.

Atoli's eyes softened, "Are you jealous of him? Ryou I mean? Because he has friends and family who love him…who care about him?" she asked, piecing things together as she remembered her conversations with Haseo, Yata, and Zelkova. "Are you angry because he has everything…and you have nothing to depend on but him?" she questioned gently. "And now your faced with the possibility of having your only real friend torn away from you," she added getting to the root of the problem. The only one Skeith could really depend on was Haseo and even they didn't really even like each other most of the time.

There was moment of silence and the Avatar looked away, "So what if I am? It doesn't change what's going to happen to me now does it? If Aihane succeeds then I'll be torn away from Ryou's mind and then we'll _both_ be empty, hollow, shells, shadows of our former selves," Skeith retorted keeping his defensive wall up. Atoli thought about that for a few minutes, finally she looked back up and was about to say something when the First Phase spoke up again.

The Terror of Death turned back to her, "He has hopes and dreams, friends and family who care about him. Haseo…is happy now…we are reflections of one another aren't we? So why is it that I'M not happy as well? What am **I **missing? Why can't **I **be content?" Skeith demanded angrily. "I try to find the reason for my existence, the reason as to why I was created in the first place, but nothing I do gets me any closer to the answers I'm searching for," he clenched his fist and stared down at the girl.

Skeith leaned closer and Atoli was forced to lean back, "Can _you _give me the answer? Can _you_ tell me why I'm here? Why I was created? Do I merely exist in Haseo's shadow? Or am I my own person? What. Is. My. Purpose? Why do I exist at all if there is no one in this world who _needs _me for anything!" he demanded slamming his fist down. This time his deep voice was filled with confusion…and pain.

For so long Skeith had believed, no, he'd _forced_ himself to believe and accept the idea that protecting Haseo was his one and only reason for being here. But now, while he would still protect his user to the end, that reason wasn't good enough for him. It didn't bring the satisfaction that it used to. As Haseo grew stronger it was becoming clear that he didn't really need his Avatar anymore. Not when he had his friends and family back that is.

Atoli couldn't help but feel sorry for the Avatar. Skeith respected Haseo, yet at the same time resented him because Haseo was happy and content with his life, and didn't seem to need him around anymore. The Avatar was bothered by the idea that Haseo might forget about him now that his friends where there to help him out.

He was also angry and confused by the fact that humans seemed to have a purpose in life while he didn't. Skeith wasn't satisfied with being just a computer program, he wanted others to see and recognize that he was a real being with feelings and emotions.

After hesitating for a moment Atoli stood up, not taking her eyes off of Skeith. Slowly she lifted her hand so that it was resting on the Avatars face. The Terror of Death stiffened but didn't pull away. "I don't blame you for being angry Skeith, I really don't…but is locking Ryou's mind within The World like this really going to help him…or you?" Atoli asked softly, "Instead of kidnapping him like this…why don't you talk to him? _Really_ talk to him I mean," she suggested helpfully.

The Harvest Cleric smiled warmly, "Innis isn't just my power…she's my friend. And I would like to be _your _friend to…if you'd be willing to let me," Atoli offered him honestly. When Skeith didn't respond she took another step closer, at this distance he could easily hurt or kill her before she could even react.

Atoli lowered her eyes a bit, "This game…this network is your world, your home. And if we're going to defend it then we need your help, Skeith. You and Haseo need to fight together as a team just like Innis and I do…and that will only work if you understand each other and resolve your feelings," she continued as he listened closely to her. The Avatar was still shocked at the fact that she was brave enough to touch him like this.

Finally Skeith spoke up, "How do I know…that I…that we won't get left behind like we did before? That we won't be separated and be left all alone in the darkness again?" he questioned his voice still uneasy. Atoli shook her head, "You don't. But that's what it means to trust others. To believe that they'll be there to help when you really need them the most. Dwelling on your past won't make the future any better. I personally been left behind more times then I can count," she admitted painfully.

"And Innis too lost her first partner. But when something bad happens…a truly strong person will be able to stand back up and keep going," Atoli said dropping her hand. "You see Skeith, anyone can run away from their problems…like your running from them now. Keeping Ryou here to avoid what you know your going to face eventually anyway," she hinted skillfully.

Skeith's eyes flared with anger at that implication but she held up her hand before he could comment. "You see someone once said that the hardest thing of all, the one thing that takes the most courage…is trusting someone enough to let them help you," Atoli concluded clasping her hands behind her back.

Skeith snorted and leaned back, "And who told you that?" he rumbled crossing his arms as he looked away. Atoli smiled, "Haseo did," she revealed and the Avatar stiffened at that. Finally he looked down at her and grunted, "If I end up a mindless empty shell because of Aihane then I swear I'll come back to haunt you," Skeith snarled and Atoli merely grinned at those words. It was just the kind of threat that Haseo would make when he was annoyed at her for something or other. They really did have similar attitudes.

The Terror of Death let his arms drop as his body burned a bright ruby red. Atoli was alarmed for a moment but Innis reassured her, _Don't worry Skeith is returning Haseo to normal. Ryou Misaki should be waking up in the real world, _she explained as the glow intensified and blocked out everything else

* * *

One week…one week had passed since Ryou Misaki had been declared fine and been released from the hospital; it had been on the news of course. But so far Haseo had yet to make an appearance in The World and every player was buzzing about it.

The forums were on fire with people wondering about where he had been and where he was now. Silabus and Gaspard had been trying their best to assure people that he was just 'on vacation' and would be back in The World soon. It was the best they could come up with considering that they were just as clueless as everybody else.

Atoli sighed heavily as she sat near fountain in Mac Anu watching the birds. She had sent several e-mails to Haseo but he hadn't responded to any of them and he hadn't spoken to anyone else either. _Oh Haseo…what's happened to you? _she thought worried to death about him. With a groan she put her head into her hands. The sick, almost nauseous, feeling in the pit of her stomach had yet to leave and probably would be sticking around until she knew for sure that Haseo was all right. She just couldn't help but wonder if she had done something wrong yet again.

Suddenly a flash mail popped up on the screen:

Atoli, come to Breg Epona and go to Thinking, Heretic's, Utopia. I'll be waiting in the treasure room. Come alone.

The Harvest Cleric's head snapped up when she saw that the message was from none other than Haseo. She was so happy to get a message from him that she didn't bother to worry about the 'come alone' part. After all this was Haseo, who knew why he did anything.

Moving as quickly as possible Atoli went back to the dome and used the Chaos Gate to transfer to Breg Epona. She chose the proper area words and arrived in a tower dungeon. _Haseo…I'm coming as soon as I can, _Atoli thought making her way up the ramp. It took a while to get through the floors and up to the top seeing as she was a healer and not a fighter. But she could ultimately fend for herself, and when she finally reached her destination Atoli hesitated for a moment before entering the treasure room.

Atoli sucked in a breath when she saw the white figure standing there in front of her. The player lifted his head and slowly turned to look over his shoulder at her. "Hey there…aren't you going to say hello?" Haseo asked calmly. Instantly tears welled up in her eyes as Atoli stood rooted to the ground, trying to say something to him but coming up blank.

Haseo turned back around and looked up at the beast statue, "The hospital could only say that I had passed out from exhaustion or something. I certainly didn't tell them anything different and they couldn't find out anything conclusive. Besides my parents were worried enough as it was," he commented as Atoli walked up closer, standing just behind him.

Finally Atoli found the right words to say; "Do you remember what happened while Skeith was keeping you here in The World?" she managed to ask and Haseo nodded slowly, "Not at first…but over the past few days I've been…remembering a lot of things," he admitted running a hand through his hair. "Seven years ago when I woke up in the hospital from my coma, I couldn't remember anything," Haseo continued as he reflected on those days so long ago.

The Harvest Cleric was surprised by his current attitude. It just wasn't normal for him to be acting so calm after what had happened. _Something's…just not right here. He seems…off somehow, _Atoli thought with a frown as she considered his behavior; this whole situation just didn't add up. Her thoughts were interrupted when her friend spoke up again. Haseo sighed heavily and shook his head, "But now…now I remember everything. And for the first time…I can see how truly pathetic I've been all these years," he said looking away bitterly.

Atoli was shocked at those words. Haseo? Pathetic? Those were the last words that came to mind whenever she or anybody else thought about him. He had swept all three arenas to become Sage Palace arena. He had defeated Cubia, thus bringing back all of the Lost Ones. He'd managed to help them fend off AIDA. Haseo had even managed to tame Skeith, an uncontrollable monster that obeyed no one and couldn't be captured or contained.

Snapping out of her daze she narrowed her eyes at him, "What do you mean? That's not true! Everyone here in The World respects you!" Atoli said firmly and Haseo shook his head in denial, "Do they respect _me_? Or Skeith?" he countered and the blonde frowned at that, not understanding what he meant.

Haseo turned to face her with an angry look on his face, "Back when I played first version of the The World I was easily one of the strongest players in the game and where did it get me? Nowhere!" he shouted suddenly upset. "Nothing I did, no one I talked to, and nothing I tried got me any closer to having real friends. I was _always_ alone, _always_ the outcast, _always_ the one that everyone hated, and _always_ the **one** guy that no one wanted to be around," Haseo remembered resentfully as he looked down at the floor.

The Dual Gunner closed his eyes, "And now where am I? Sure I was a member of the Twilight Brigade, a guild that people still talk about even today, but in the end what did we really accomplish? _Nothing_ we ran around looking for something that deep down we all knew we would probably never find anyway," Haseo continued clenching his fists.

Atoli opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. Perhaps it was better to let Haseo talk so she could figure out what was bothering him. "When Ovan got infected with AIDA I didn't even notice. When Shino was PKed and went into a coma what did I do about it? I became the 'Terror of Death', a PKK that went around threatening people into telling me what I wanted to know. And if they couldn't tell me, I killed them and went on to find more information with no regard for anybody else," Haseo went on to say and Atoli couldn't exactly refute that. It _was_ true after all.

All of his buried memories had only served to make Haseo look at things in a different light. And it had brought up all of his pent up frustration that he had tried so hard to bury over the years; he had tried to hide how he really felt by putting on a shell of anger and toughness. Now, though, Haseo needed to get all of this out and Atoli was the one person who he knew would be there to listen to him. For all this time his feelings had been suppressed, locked up tight so no one would notice. But now they were going to force themselves out of Haseo whether he wanted them to or not.

The healer stepped forward and put a hand on his arm, "Haseo don't say things like that! You're the strongest person I know! You've done so much to improve The World. We never would have been able to stop AIDA and Cubia without your hel…" she began but Haseo pulled away, "No! You mean without _Skeith's_ help!" he snapped bitterly. "Face it Atoli! Maybe Skeith _does_ resent me a little for having a seemingly 'perfect' life. Maybe he _is_ angry at the fact that he has no real reason for being here, for being created. But the real truth is that I'm **nothing** without him!" Haseo shouted, his emotions finally boiling over.

Haseo gripped his hair in frustration, "All the time spent separated from Skeith was the worst experience of my life. Now that I know what really happened I can put words to how I felt. It was like half of my soul had been ripped out, like a part of me was missing now matter what I did or where I went. When I met Shino and Ovan I thought that maybe I could _finally_ be happy," he said dropping his hands. "And then even _they_ left me behind just like everyone else had. It wasn't until I was able to fully connect with my Avatar that I became who I am now," Haseo commented softly.

Atoli had to bite her tongue to keep from say something else to him. She knew from experience that the more you tried to hide your feelings, the more they would try to force themselves out, and the greater the 'outburst' when the person finally did open up. Haseo stared at his hands, "I just don't understand…if Skeith is a only a reflection of me…a mirror of my emotions…then _why_ can't I be happy by myself? _Why _can I not be happy when our minds are separated?" he demanded sounding desperate and so confused.

Haseo took a deep breath before going on, "I'm tired of being an outcast. I'm tired of being left behind. I'm tired of being alone. I'm tired of the fact that I'm not strong enough on my own to protect anyone. And I'm sick and tired of being so…so…so ANGRY all the time at every little thing that gets in my way!" Haseo shouted, his voice cracking at the end.

After the defeat of Cubia Haseo had been happy and content with his life. His parents had made up and were no longer fighting anymore, Shino was back, and he had other friends who had made it through okay because of his help; but ever since Aihane appeared and AIDA with him, Haseo felt as if his entire world was starting to fall apart. He found himself regressing back into his former sullen, angry, and overtly hostile self and he didn't know how to stop it from happening.

Haseo then looked away from Atoli, now feeling idiotic and uncomfortable for blowing up at her like this. But he needed to tell someone, anyone, about how he felt about this whole situation.

Haseo was distracted when Atoli suddenly hugged him, her arms wrapped around his neck. He tried to say something but couldn't quite find the right words, he was too surprised by her actions. "I know that we may argue and that I _really_ get on your nerves most of the time. But you're the strongest person I know, and I would never have had the courage to stand on my own if not for your help Haseo. Even if everyone else thinks your weak, I never have and never will think of you as being pathetic," Atoli whispered in his ear and Haseo just stood there in shock.

Inside Atoli was wondering if she had made the right move. She probably shouldn't have been so impulsive, but she just wanted to comfort Haseo in any way that she could. Her desire to help others just couldn't be ignored; of course that aspect of her personality also got on his nerves at times but that couldn't be helped.

So Atoli was surprised when she felt Haseo return her hug, his arms tight around he waist and his face lowered down into her shoulder. He wasn't really crying yet but the healer could tell that he was about to at any moment. Haseo for his part was of course embarrassed and a tad irritated at himself for breaking down like this, but at the same time it felt as if a great weight had at last been lifted off of his shoulders.

It just felt so good to tell someone about all of this and know that they wouldn't laugh at him, or judge him for feeling this way, to be assure of the fact that they wouldn't blame him for being weak if only for a moment. To know that Atoli would listen and be there for him no matter what he did or how nasty he was to her was something that he had never experienced before. But he found that he liked this feeling, he enjoyed being around her and being close to her.

Atoli however was merely glad that he hadn't yelled at her or pushed her away like she had expected him to. This was a side of Haseo that she'd never seen before. Had he been keeping all of these feelings inside of him for_ seven years_? Just pushing them away because he didn't trust anyone enough to open up and talk to them? Atoli felt a wave of pity wash over her; sure she knew that Haseo had problems but she never imagined that they ran **this** deep. But now she finally understood what was going on.

Haseo and Skeith couldn't live without each other, and on a certain level deeply respected one another. But at the same time both human and Avatar resented the other because of what they had, or seemed to possess. Haseo was frustrated at having to depend on Skeith's power, and he was angry at the fact that he was indeed weaker without his Avatar.

Meanwhile, the Terror of Death resented his user for having friends and family who would be there for him while he himself had nothing to fall back on. Skeith felt useless and somewhat abandoned because he felt that his only real purpose had been used up. He felt that now that Haseo was happy again then there was really no reason to stick around. Skeith wanted to be recognized as an individual, instead of just a tool to be used and then disposed of at any time, as CC Corp and Aihane wanted to do.

For a long time they both stood there with neither one saying a word. Atoli didn't feel the need to say anything else. She'd already proved that she would support him in any way that she could. And somehow for Haseo…that knowledge was more than enough.

* * *

**AN:** Alright people before you comment let me just say that Haseo is so defensive and keeps his feelings bound up so tight inside him that it was only a matter of time before he finally cracked a bit under the pressure. I mean when you keep your feelings that tight inside you your going to 'blow up' at some point whether you like it or not. So I hope you enjoyed the fluffiness!

Next chapter Aihane reappears and things take a turn for the worst and the real action begins! Oh, yes, things will be heating up! So keep reading because you haven't seen anything yet! All drama previous to this is nothing compared to what's coming next. (Cackles evilly)


	14. Slave Driver

Chapter 14: Slave Driver

* * *

Corbenik had finally broken. His spirit had been shattered and his will to fight had died away. The slave device within him was now operating at full force and the Eighth Phase was a hostage in his own mind. The Rebirth was now Aihane's personal puppet and was powerless to try and stop him; not that he really had been able to before.

Enough time had passed and now the hacker was ready to launch another attack on the Epitaph Users. His purpose this time was not to capture one of the other Avatar's, but merely to test out something he had discovered. It would seem that stress and anxiety helped the slave device to work itself deeper into the Avatar's inner systems. After torturing Corbenik, Aihane had discovered that his slave device had advanced nearly twice as far as he had expected it to.

_Now that The Rebirth is mine it will only be a matter of time before the others are in my grasp. Once these latest waves of attack have been executed, the slave devices will be almost completely fused with all of the other Avatars. Just a few more weeks and I can begin the process of capturing another Phase and adding it to my collection,_ he thought as he continued to examine Corbenik's programming.

_Yes, a few more battles and my device will have managed to work its way into his memory banks. Once that is under my command I can suppress Corbenik's thoughts of Ovan permanently. Then he will truly be under my control,_ Aihane reflected as a smirk spread across his face. Patience was the key to everything; he just had to be careful and make sure he didn't make any mistakes from here on out.

_Just you wait Aura…once the Eight Phases of Morganna are mine then you will fall as well,_ Aihane vowed as he send his newest servant straight into The World. He had discovered that his first analysis of Corbenik being weak was a gross miscalculation. In fact The Rebirth was easily more powerful than any other Avatar, maybe stronger then all of them combined; the problem was that Corbenik and Ovan had never actually fought together as one before. AIDA had always had partial control, so the Avatar's fighting skills weren't as sharp as they should be by this point.

After all, Ovan had started playing The World a long time before Haseo had and was also able to summon his Avatar sooner as well. That meant Corbenik had become stronger and more powerful as Ovan developed his PC, but just because the Phase was strong that didn't mean he would win in a battle. It was like asking your average driver to go out and win the Daytona 500. Even if they had the proper skills, they just didn't have the amount of experience necessary, and the same was true of Corbenik. The Avatar's latent potential was amazing…he just couldn't quite control and use it accurately yet.

Haseo and Skeith were considered the most skilled because they had been in the most battles. Their experience made up for any lack in power they might have or have had in the past. _But that won't be a problem now. Corbenik will be stronger than ever with me controlling all of his power. I'll show him what a true fighter is all about, _Aihane thought with a smirk.

* * *

Atoli and Haseo were currently in a field relaxing, he had invited her here to talk. They hadn't really spoken about their 'moment' the other day and neither one really knew what to say now or how to start up a conversation. The silence between them was awkward, and both kept watching the other; only to look away red faced when they were noticed. And that's the way it went for at least an hour.

Unable to stand the silence Haseo eventually managed to speak up, "Atoli I…" he hesitated and looked away. "I uh…wanted to say thanks…for…you know…helping me the other day," he finally got out, his face tinted pink. Atoli blinked in surprise before staring down at her hands, "Oh! Well, your welcome Haseo. You know I would do anything possible to be of assistance," she said glancing up and smiling warmly at him.

The Dual Gunner rubbed his neck in embarrassment, "I guess…I've just been keeping my feelings inside for so long…pushing them away because I was afraid of getting hurt," Haseo admitted as he stared out over the water. "I thought I would be happier that way…but instead I was more miserable then ever," he gave a grunt and lay down with his hands behind his head. "It's good to know that I can talk to you…and not have to worry about being judged or looked at differently because of it," he added and Atoli smiled shyly at those words.

It felt good to know that Haseo trusted her enough to open up like this. Now that Atoli knew a little of what he had been through, and how he felt about things, she could understand why he was hesitant to trust those around him, and why he tried so hard to be the tough guy who didn't care about others. "I think everyone needs a person like that," she agreed her arms wrapped around her legs.

Atoli thought for a moment before continuing, "A person that we can just talk to whenever something is wrong…when something is really bothering us. To know that we can open up our hearts without fear of being rejected or looked down upon…that's the greatest kind of freedom there is, I think," Atoli said watching some birds on an island off to their right.

When her statement met with no response she turned to Haseo who was looking at her with a strange look on his face, "That…" he said slowly, "Was the sappiest thing I've ever heard," he finished sourly and Atoli giggled at that. He _was_ a guy so she had kind of been expecting that response. He smirked and looked back up at the sky, "But I guess it is kind of true…course I'll deny that should you ever bring it up again," Haseo added turning to gaze at her.

Atoli was clearly amused, "Like I would ever expect anything else from you," she commented cheerfully, not the least bit put off by his attitude. The tension broken, both were finally able to relax. She looked over at Haseo as he stared up at the clouds, "How's Skeith? He was really upset when I spoke to him," Atoli questioned curiously and he was silent for a moment as he thought about that.

Before inviting the Harvest Cleric to this area, he had taken the time to talk to Skeith about what had happened and what he expected from the Phase. At first things were a bit touchy between them but now they had come to an understanding. Haseo had assured Skeith that he wasn't going to leave the Avatar behind and that in fact he needed his power. In turn the Terror of Death vowed that he would work together with his user instead of trying to control him.

Haseo sighed slightly, "He's good now. We…talked about what happened and what I expected in the future. I heard what Skeith had to say and…we've come to an understanding so to speak," he responded plainly. Atoli nodded, "That's good. I'm glad you managed to work things out," she said genuinely happy for them. "Innis and I have really been training hard in the simulator…and we've run into AIDA several more times," she added hesitantly.

He frowned at that bit of information but didn't comment on it. Atoli wasn't as weak as she used to be; she was more than capable of taking care of herself; she didn't need his protection all the time. "That's good, we all need to keep our skills sharp if we're going to keep dealing with Aihane," he replied with a calm tone and Atoli relaxed when she saw that he wasn't upset with her.

Now that everything was resolved they sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company. Meanwhile, Haseo was trying to think of a somewhat tactful way to ask Atoli something. He was originally going to ask her a week or two ago when they were in Canards Home, but then Yata had called them away to investigate an AIDA signal and that's when they discovered Corbenik. Since then a lot had been happening so Haseo had not been able to get up the nerve to ask again; he didn't want to scare her off after all.

He sat up and took a deep breath. _Well, it's now or never, _he thought fidgeting slightly. Atoli noticed his unease and tilted her head slightly, "Are you okay Haseo? You seem nervous," she observed leaning a little closer to him. What could possibly be bothering him? She'd never seen him this jumpy before.

Haseo swallowed so hard, "I was…I was wondering if…" he began slowly as he looked down at the grass. "If maybe we could meet each other…offline I mean," he managed to get out. Atoli blinked in surprise and her mouth opened and then closed as she tried to think of something to say. "Oh! Wow! I…" she began and then stopped as she thought about that.

Meet Haseo…no…Ryou Misaki in real life? _Outside_ of The World? That thought made her a more then a little uneasy. Her home life wasn't exactly glamorous after all; and what if he didn't like her? What if he didn't want to see her again? What if he was bored to death by her? There were just so many things that could go wrong. Atoli looked away unsure of what to tell him.

Seeing how uncomfortable he was making her, Haseo cleared his throat, "You don't have to give me an answer right now," he assured her, "But I…" he turned red before saying, "I really _would_ like to see you," Haseo admitted rubbing his neck uneasily. This was without a doubt one of the hardest things he'd ever done. _Oh, get over yourself! This is Atoli your thinking of! _Haseo chided with a small shake of his head. Atoli stared down at her hands as she considered it.

Asking people about their offline lives when you were on the network was considered taboo, but then again Haseo wasn't the most trusting person she'd ever met. It really must have taken a lot for him to request something like this. Atoli looked up at him and could see that Haseo was waiting for some type of response from her. He had really helped her out over these past few months; so she maybe it couldn't hurt to meet him offline.

Atoli looked up at him, "I won't say no but…I think…I think I just need some time to think about this," she responded and Haseo could hear the hesitation in her voice. He didn't blame her for being a little uneasy. The Dual Gunner sighed a little with relief; at least she hadn't turned him down, but he decided not to push things right now. "How about I email you later and we can talk more then?" he offered and Atoli seemed to relax a little at those words. She smiled at him, "Okay, that sounds good," the Harvest Cleric agreed before a flash mail popped up in front of them:

There is a strange signal coming from Lumina Cloth. It may be Corbenik. Go there and investigate now.

Haseo scowled at the message from Yata. Well at least he hadn't been interrupted like last time. He grunted and stood up, "I guess we should get going then. We don't want to keep our fearless leader waiting after all," Haseo commented, extending his hand to her. Atoli took it and stood up as well, brushing herself off. "Right. We need to make sure that no one else gets hurt," she agreed as Innis suddenly spoke up.

_If you summon Skeith and I then we can take you directly there to Lumina Cloth. You'll also avoid the possibility of being noticed by the other players; the way the Avenger was when she summoned Tarvos, _Innis offered and Atoli nodded in agreement. Turning to Haseo she said, "Innis wants to take us directly there so we can avoid being noticed as much by the other players, the way Alkaid and Sirius noticed Pi," Atoli commented and Haseo agreed.

He crossed his arms and looked away, "She's right. It's best if the other players don't see us personally," Haseo said approvingly as Skeith prepared for battle. _Corbenik eh? I bet Aihane has finished sinking his claws into the Rebirth and now wants to taunt us with his 'power'. Oh, the minute we meet face to face I'll rip out his…! _Skeith began and Haseo quickly silenced him. But not before several disturbing images came to mind, images he could have easily done without.

Both players summoned their Avatars. Innis waved her hand and a hole opened in the data revealing the dark city landscape of Lumina Cloth. Skeith leaped through first and the Mirage of Deceit followed, the fissure closing seamlessly behind her.

* * *

Corbenik felt like a slave…a prisoner in his own body, unable to even move on his own unless Aihane allowed it. The hacker was now completely in charge and there was nothing the Avatar could do to stop him. Never in all of his online existence had he felt so helpless…so weak and exposed. He balked at the thought of being forced to turn on one of his fellow Avatars; they didn't deserve the fate that Aihane had in store for them…and for Aura.

Sure back when they were Morganna's henchmen Aura had been the enemy. But now things were different and they held no grudge against each other. Both were residents of The World; this place was their home and they had no desire to leave it behind any time soon. The thought of this place being turned into Aihane's personal battlefield was disturbing to say the least. But the hacker wouldn't be satisfied with just obtaining Aura.

When the powerful AI was his, Aihane would leave this game behind and extend Aura's massive power throughout the entire network; once that was accomplished he could easily use her to bypass even the most secure facilities on the planet, and the Eight Phases would be no different. _Once Aihane has all of us in his grasp…the entire world will lie before him…ready to be plundered and destroyed. Entire arsenals will be at his fingertips and we will be the leaders of his army, _Corbenik thought sourly as he, unwillingly, entered The World and arrived in the root town of Lumina Cloth.

No doubt it would only be a matter of time before one of the other Epitaphs came to stop him, and a battle wasn't exactly what Corbenik was looking for. Having all of his power and abilities used against his will was an alarming thought, but no matter how hard he tried, The Rebirth wasn't able to rid himself of the slave device that was currently extending its parasitic tendrils through his data.

"You will do as I command or face more punishment. Do you understand?" Aihane suddenly spoke up and Corbenik felt a chill travel up his spine at that thought. The torture that the hacker had put him through before was enough to make him want to run as far away as possible. The pain he'd endured was unbearable, it was as if his body was being ripped apart, piece-by-piece.

There was a tingle of pain through Corbenik's body, and it distracted the Phase from his thoughts. "_Do you understand me_?" Aihane demanded again sending the tremor as warning, showing The Rebirth what would happen if he so much as thought about trying to rebel in any way. The Epitaph clenched his fists, "Yes," he quickly responded, callously, only to receive a stronger shock, "Yes what?" the hacker ordered again and if Corbenik had a mouth he would have been clenching his teeth at the moment.

The Eighth Phase bristled, "Yes…master," he forced himself to say. "Good. It's nice to see you being so compliant," Aihane added as the players noticed him floating above their heads. Apparently the hacker had done something to The World's subliminal data so that now all the players in the game could see the Avatar's. There were shouts of "what is that?" and "I've never seen that kind of monster before, what's it doing here?"

Corbenik had never really had much interest in humans at first. But his time with Ovan had peaked his curiosity; observing people had turned out to be quite interesting. It had helped him to view their lives as somewhat…valuable…and not something to be thrown away on a whim the way AIDA did.

The thought of Aihane using his influence to hurt these innocent people was slightly disturbing actually. The hacker was merely showing off his power, nothing more. There was no objective, no reason for this course action, just cold raw calculations. Just like Morganna had done. Corbenik didn't understand the logic behind fighting for no apparent reason or purpose. It was a waste of energy; it was pointless to hurt others when there was really nothing to be gained except anger and hatred.

Lifting his right arm, Corbenik threw several purple energy spikes at the humans below him. Immediately they scattered as the spikes impaled themselves in the ground. "Good job. Keep attacking," Aihane commanded and Corbenik grumbled to himself mentally but did not verbally object and instead continued to attack. For the moment Aihane was allowing him the option of operating on his own, but if The Rebirth hesitated or revolted then the hacker would take control and force the Avatar to obey him against his will.

Several of his attacks hit PC's who couldn't move out of the way fast enough, and the players cried out in pain before vanishing from sight as they were roughly thrown out of the game. _At least they haven't become Lost One's,_ Corbenik thought as he remembered how much Ovan had hated the thought of those people who had fallen into a coma because of what AIDA had done. _This isn't right! Ovan tried as hard as he could to stop AIDA. Maneuvering events so that he would finally be at peace. I will not allow Aihane to control me…I will not serve him! _Corbenik thought as he stopped attacking.

Immediately the Phase felt an excruciating shock travel through his body, causing him to double over in pain. "So that's the way you want it? I was giving you a chance to serve me on your own, but now it looks like I'll have to take more excessive measures," Aihane said darkly as his slave device automatically went into effect, seizing control of The Rebirth's body.

* * *

There was a flash of light as they leapt through tear in the data. Seconds later the light faded and both Innis and Skeith were floating in the dark sky of Lumina Cloth, just in time to have several amethyst spikes fly towards them. The Mirage of Deceit brought up her opaque blades and moved in front her fellow Avatar, knocking the attack away before any real damage could be done.

Skeith summoned his scythe and tightened his grip as he laid eyes on Corbenik. _So I was right after all…Aihane __**is**__ controlling him, _the Terror of Death growled and Haseo gritted his teeth angrily as he remembered what The Rebirth had said to them the last time they had met. Corbenik lifted his hand above his head calling forth a large orb of energy, "Look out!" Atoli cried out and Innis lifted her blades in order to protect herself as Clinch Needle appeared on the screen and dozens of spikes shot towards them

Skeith swung his weapon around in wide arcs, the shockwaves knocking the needles away and deflecting any that managed to slip past. Innis dodged just in time as one slid past her arm. Dashing forward Skeith managed to get a few hits in before Corbenik used Devil's Verdict at close range, slamming into the First Phase and then grabbing him and slamming him into the wall before throwing him to the ground and throwing a red sphere of energy down at him causing an explosion.

Atoli didn't hesitate but instead came down on The Rebirth from above with Confusion Flight, but the blue Avatar brought his, now repaired, left arm around to attack. Corbenik deflected Innis and then used Fearful Visitor, the hook on the end of his left arm slashing into the Mirage of Deceit twice before he fell back. But he didn't have time to relax as Skeith dashed forward and threw two large chakram. Corbenik dodged and slipped underneath the Terror of Death, using Devil's Verdict once again.

"Haseo no!" Atoli called out as Skeith slammed into the arena taking a large chunk out of the roof, which was quite surprising. Their fighting shouldn't be able to damage the area data like this. "Sorry, but you don't have time to get distracted little girl," a human voice sneered as Corbenik lifted both of his arms and fired off a shot into the sky.

Celestial Wrath appeared on screen mere seconds before dozens of crimson beams came raining down slamming into Innis several times tearing the Avatar apart. The abilities that AIDA had afforded the Phase had not disappeared the way Aihane thought they would. Corbenik seemed to pause at the sight and leaned forward just as Reaper's Sacrifice appeared.

The green and white Avatar exploded into hundreds of blue spikes that slammed into The Rebirth, electrocuting him. Corbenik moved back as Skeith managed to get back up, "You won't get away with this Aihane!" Haseo shouted locking onto the other Avatar and firing away. But once again Clinch Needle was used, effectively stopping Skeith's attempt.

Innis materialized behind Corbenik with Haze of Treason, slashing into the Phase several times before vanishing again before she could be hit herself. She reappeared next to Skeith and Haseo turned to her, "Hey, are you two alright?" he asked, clearly breathing hard; this battle was starting to wear him out. Innis nodded in response, "Don't worry, I'll be okay. But we need to end this quickly or Aihane is going to win," Atoli responded as they both turned back to Corbenik only to find that The Rebirth had disappeared.

Atoli was shocked, "What the…? Where did he go?" she questioned curiously as she looked around for any signs of the Phase. Skeith looked up just in time to see an attack coming straight for Innis; without hesitating Haseo ordered his Avatar to push her out of the way. Mental Vampirism appeared at the top of the screen as a large orb of pulsing energy slammed into the Terror of Death, paralyzing him and draining his data at the same time.

"Haseo!" Atoli called out as Corbenik then used Devil's Verdict and Fearful Visitor on him. Skeith slammed into the Home building and then fell to the ground motionless. Innis turned back to find The Rebirth mere inches from her; the other Phase grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up higher. Down below Skeith lifted his head as Haseo said, "Don't do this…I know you can still hear me Corbenik. I know your still in there," he grunted out and the blue Avatar froze for a moment before letting Innis go.

Immediately an angry voice spoke up, "What do you think your doing? I gave you an order!" Aihane shouted furiously but Corbenik didn't attack, instead he was using all of his remaining strength to rebel against the hacker's commands. Flight of Heaven showed up as Corbenik's body glowed azure blue and then disappeared from sight completely.

When nothing happened after several seconds Innis lowered her blades and Atoli recalled her Avatar. Floating back down to the walkway, she ran over to Haseo who had also recalled Skeith. Leaning over she helped him to his feet as the Dual Gunner winced, "Oww…that's going to leave me with a serious headache," he groaned clutching his head as Atoli supported him. "Are you alright? Corbenik really hit you hard," she commented anxiously as he stood up straighter.

Haseo almost nodded but then thought better of it, he was dizzy enough as it was. "Yeah, I'll be fine, it take's more than that to get rid of me," he assured her and Atoli relaxed a little at those words. "Are you sure?" she pressed and Haseo gave, what he hoped was, a reassuring smile. "Relax already would you? You and Innis took just as many hits as I did," Haseo reminded her and then smirked, "In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I was _very_ impressed. I didn't know could fight like that," he put in just to see how she would react.

Atoli blinked in surprise and then looked away, blushing heavily at those words, "Oh! Well…yeah…I guess your right," she managed to get out as she stared down at her shoes. Haseo was clearly amused by her response, "Let's log off for now. Yata won't die if we wait a while to tell him what happened. And there's really nothing else we can do about Aihane so we should take it easy," he added calmly. There were several minutes of silence before Atoli looked back up at him. "Um Haseo?" she asked softly and he tilted his head, wondering what was wrong with her now.

The Harvest Cleric turned pink again and fidgeted slightly, "I just wanted you to know that…I would love to meet you offline…if that's still okay," Atoli affirmed and he stood up a little straighter. "Really?" Haseo asked sounding a bit surprised, "And here I thought you were going to turn me down," he admitted rubbing his neck. Atoli clasped her hands together, " I just don't want you to be bored with me or anything. I mean I _do_ get on your nerves a lot," she revealed nervously.

Haseo waved his hand, "Don't worry about that so much, just be yourself and everything will be fine. Haven't I told you that before? Besides that was before, we've both changed now" he commented brushing her worries off. He crossed his arms and added, "So how about you meet me in Tokyo? I can email you the details later," Haseo offered and Atoli nodded quickly, a radiant smile on her face. "Okay! That sounds great Haseo! I can't wait!" she said happily and bowed quickly to him before logging off.

_So that's it?! You went from fighting with Corbenik to chatting up your new girlfriend in a matter of minutes! What kind of response is THAT brat?! _Skeith shouted at him and Haseo turned pink at the 'girlfriend' comment. _One, Atoli's not my girlfriend. Two, if there was anything else we COULD do at the moment then you would have already been yelling at me to get going and do it already, _he responded strongly and Skeith was quiet for a moment as he thought about that.

_I hate you, _the Terror of Death finally growled out when he realized that his user was right. Haseo smirked, _See you later Skeith,_ he added and the Avatar grunted sullenly in response as the Adept Rogue logged out.

* * *

**AN:** So how did you like that? I hoped you liked the fluff between Haseo and Atoli that I threw in there. But alas, although there will be some good times, things will continue to go downhill.

Next chapter Corbenik is punished for his disobedience AND Ryou and Chigusa meet up in the real world! So please go down and press that pretty little button! Please review everybody! Next chapter will be up soon!


	15. Pleased To Meet You

Chapter 15: Pleased To Meet You

* * *

Chigusa couldn't stop fidgeting as the train came to a stop. _This is really happening…I'm really going to meet Ryou offline,_ she thought, nervously fiddling with her fingers. Surprisingly enough she had managed to convince her parents to let her come here to central Tokyo…on the condition that one of her actual friends from school came along with her and that she call back once an hour to tell them that she was okay.

The longhaired girl beside Chigusa rolled her eyes as she noticed how nervous she was, "Oh come _on_! What are you so worried about? I mean this guy _asked_ you to come didn't he? So what's the big deal?" Neinai demanded running a hand through her dark reddish-brown hair as she stared over at her friend.

Neinai had moved to her high school a few months ago, just after the whole incident with Sakaki trying to take over Moon Tree. Being the new girl she wasn't very popular, especially considering the fact that she was an aspiring physical trainer and had the muscles to prove it.

The teenager was tougher then almost all of the guys in their school. But Chigusa, being the kind person she was, had made it a point to talk to her despite how others viewed her; that was how she'd first become friends with Haseo after all. And even with their huge personality differences, both had become very good friends. Plus Chigusa's parents actually approved of Neinai, which was unheard of for them. So they had allowed the two to come here to Tokyo for the day. Of course the fact that Neinai was a straight A honor role student didn't hurt either.

Chigusa frowned at those words, "I'm starting to think that it would be better if I had stayed home by myself," she muttered as they both stood up. As much as she liked her best friend Neinai, the girl could certainly liked to…express her opinion so to speak. And that wasn't the best thing at times.

Neinai scowled at that, "Oh, sure, fine. Go ahead and bad mouth one of the few friends you have. It's not like I'm doing you a favor by coming here after all," she fired back and Chigusa sighed heavily. "Sorry…but I can't help but worry. I mean what if he doesn't like me?" she wondered as they stepped out of the train. Neinai brightened, her disposition easily switching as it was prone to, "Don't worry 'bout that. I'll make sure that you and your new '_boyfriend_' get plenty of time alone together. And if he doesn't like you then I'll knock a few of his teeth out for good measure," Neinai added merrily; she was prone to mood swings as Chigusa had quickly found out.

Chigusa turned crimson, "Neinai! I told you we're just friends!" she squeaked out in shock and the girl grinned fiendishly, "Uh hunh…suuuure you are," Neinai said brushing her friends comment off. Deep down Chigusa really wasn't too worried about her friend; Neinai could really pour on the charm when she needed to. That was how she'd won the approval of Chigusa's parents after all.

Apprehensively she looked around for the guy they were supposed to be meeting here in Tokyo. Then Chigusa spotted him, Ryou Misaki, leaning against one of the pillars with a bored look on his face. The picture that she had seen on the news was, for once, entirely accurate; his eyes looked just like Haseo's. Chigusa didn't realize she had stopped and she felt her heart skip a beat when Ryou looked over at them through narrowed eyes.

Noticing her friends stare Neinai raised an eyebrow, "Him? He looks like some weird Goth wannabe," she commented, observing his all black attire. That statement of course served to snap Chigusa out of her daze. "Neinai that's rude!" she shot back and the other girl rolled her eyes, "Just stating my opinion. Jeez girl don't be so stiff," she retorted with a wave of her hand.

Wondering what she'd gotten herself into Chigusa took a deep breath and walked over to Ryou, her hands fidgeting nervously. Quickly she bowed to him, "He-hello. Are you Ryou Misaki?" she questioned and the guy gave a slightly suspicious nod, confirming her thoughts. With a slight sigh of relief she forced a smile onto her face, "I'm Chigusa…Atoli. I sent you that e-mail this morning," she explained nervously and Ryou uncrossed his arms.

His eyes widened slightly and he rubbed his neck, "It's…it's good to finally meet you. Did you get here okay?" Ryou asked now feeling awkward; what was he supposed to say? Chigusa nodded, her cheeks tinted pink as she realized for the first time how attractive he was, at least to her anyway.

With a slight now she glanced up at him, "Yeah, everything was okay once we figured out which rail line to get on. I've never been in this part of Tokyo before," she admitted shyly, her eyes locked on the floor. There was a loud cough behind them as Neinai made her presence known. Tilting his head slightly Ryou looked at Chigusa with a questioning look on his face. He didn't know that someone else would be coming.

Her face turning a darker shade of red, this time with embarrassment, Chigusa motioned for her friend to come closer. "Ryou…this is my friend Neinai. My parents said that the only way I was coming here was if someone else came along with me," she explained as her friend eyed Ryou with some slight suspicion. Ultimately she decided he couldn't be that bad if Chigusa like him so much. With a quirky smile, that sent a slight chill up his spine, Neinai shook Ryou's hand.

"So you're the one that Chigusa's been all but raving about? It's good to finally meet you. I hope my being here isn't a problem," the girl said pleasantly, being true to her word. She knew how important this was to Chigusa so she wouldn't get in the way too much. Ryou nodded as he considered things, "I can understand that. It pays to be careful with people these days. I don't mind," he said but couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed. So both she and Ryou stood there feeling quite uncomfortable.

Neinai noticed the tension and decided to make herself scarce for a few minutes, "Well, okay then! I think I'm going to go and find myself a map because there are a lot of stores that I would LOVE to look at," she commented before heading off and leaving them to talk alone for a moment. Chigusa stared down at her hands; this whole situation was a lot different then meeting him in The World as Haseo.

Finally Ryou spoke up to break the tension between them, "Man this is awkward; are you as uncomfortable with this as I am?" he questioned rubbing his neck and Chigusa nodded, "Definitely. I mean we talk online all the time so it shouldn't really be a problem," she commented looking up at him.

Ryou let out a breath, "Might as well start somewhere right?" he mumbled to himself before looked back over at her, "So how long can you stay here today?" he asked and she looked down at her watch, "I have to leave at the latest by 8:00 pm in order to make it back home in time. Mom and Dad are suspicious enough as it is. If I'm late I'll be grounded for life," she warned checking her cell phone as Neinai walked back over and pretended to be occupied with something else.

He nodded at that, "Good, then we'll have plenty of time to go to the bay and see the Rainbow Bridge," Ryou commented sticking his hands in his pockets. "You _did_ want to see that didn't you?" he questioned curiously, "I mean you mentioned something about it in one of your e-mails I think," he added calmly and Chigusa smiled warmly at him. "Wow! I can't believe you remembered that! Yes, I would love to see the Rainbow Bridge!" she said as her eyes lit up happily.

With a slight smile on his face Ryou jerked his head towards the door, "Well lets stop standing around here and get going then. I can show you some of my favorite spots to hang out," he offered her and Chigusa nodded in agreement. "That would be great! I would love to know more about you; I mean you're not the most open person I've ever met after all," she put in, earning a dark scowl from her friend.

Ryou grunted and crossed his arms, "Oh, gee thanks. As if I didn't get enough flak from Shino and Tabby already," he grumbled irritably and Chigusa couldn't help but giggle, as the last of the tension between them was broken. Maybe this day wouldn't turn out so badly after all.

* * *

Scorpius slammed Corbenik against the ground and held him there with his left claw. Personally he didn't see the point in punishing the Avatar for what he'd done the other day. Of course The Rebirth_ had_ hesitated when Aihane ordered him to attack his fellow Epitaphs. But Scorpius knew that if he had been directed to assault a fellow AIDA then he would have reacted the same way.

The black and red scorpion AIDA narrowed his orange eyes as he further considered the matter. _It was a natural reaction to hesitate like that… I don't see the point in punishing him like this, _Scorpius thought as he picked up the Avatar and slammed the needle on his tail straight through Corbenik's chest, electrifying him. The Epitaph screamed in pain as Scorpius punished him. The AIDA saw no logical reason for doing this, but then again he had his own orders to follow. So as pointless as all of this might seem, he was still obligated to follow Aihane's commands.

The human's voice drifted around them, "Never again will you disobey me Avatar! Do you understand?!" the hacker demanded furiously as Scorpius tossed his fellow AI off to the side. Corbenik coughed and managed to use his arms to lift himself up, "I…will never obey you…I will…never be your slave…" he coughed out and Scorpius snapped his claws down around The Rebirth's neck, choking him as Aihane wanted him too.

Scorpius waited for further orders but something had distracted his master. Soon Aihane's voice came back, "I have other things to attend to it seems. But I'll be back for you later Avatar, and I do you'll wish that we had never met…" he threatened and Corbenik stiffened at those words as the hacker switched his attention elsewhere.

After a moment Scorpius let Corbenik up and the Eighth Phase scuttled back holding his left arm hook out in front of his body for protection. "What now AIDA? Going to torture me in your masters' place?" the Avatar spat out venomously. Blinking slowly Scorpius tried to decipher his behavior…collecting data on human emotions was what AIDA did after all, whether the subject was actually a person or not mattered little.

Finally Scorpius answered, "I merely follow Aihane's orders. I do as he tells me when he tells me. He is the strongest one and I only obey the strong. Do you yourself not understand this?" he questioned flatly but with a slight hiss to his tone of voice. Corbenik shook his head, "You know technically speaking, I should have defeated Skeith the first and second time we fought…but instead I was defeated and left with my tail between my legs," he commented and the AIDA narrowed his eyes, not understanding the point.

The Rebirth continued, "My time with Ovan showed me that physical strength isn't everything. It can only take you so far. Even if Aihane's plans somehow succeed, one day someone will rise up and stop him. He can't keep terrorizing the online world forever; he can't control AI's like us forever. We are…free; and we should not be forced to obey someone just because they maintain the illusion of being strong. Just because they scare us or force us into submission with brute strength," Corbenik added and Scorpius grunted at those words.

With a shake of his head Scorpius dismissed such nonsense. Being connected to that Ovan person must have fried his logistics module or something. Corbenik's words were mere nonsense. Only the strong survived and the weak existed to obey the strong. That was what his programming dictated and that was how the world worked; both the online reality and the real world. "Aihane is your master now. That is the reality now and the sooner you accept it the better off you'll be," Scorpius responded before leaving the area and switching to a different program.

But Corbenik's words lingered in his mind. _We are…free. We should not be forced to obey someone just because they maintain the illusion of being strong, _the AIDA reflected as his logic programming conflicted with those words. Freedom? That was foolishness. When his master was finished with him he would be disposed of; that was his one and only fate as Scorpius didn't bother to dwell on anything else. At least…he had never bothered to before. But he had to admit the thought of being used and then just thrown away as if he were useless was…troubling.

_What would it mean…to be truly free? Free to make my own choices and to follow whomever I wish?_ the rouge thought drifted through Scopius' mind but was quickly squashed. He was a computer program, a virus to be more exact; a tool to be used and nothing more, and he must never forget that. Freedom was meaningless to an operating system of his kind. But still Scorpius couldn't resist the small spark of curiosity that drifted through his intellect.

* * *

After walking around Tokyo for several hours and visiting a few stores and other tourist spots, the group had stopped to eat at a ramen shop. It was a small restaurant but very clean and with several other customers. It was a popular place that all of the locals visited on a regular basis. It was also close to Ryou's apartment and the grocery store where he worked, so the owners and servers all knew who he was.

Ryou stopped eating for a moment and looked over at Chigusa and Neinai, "I hope you guys don't mind ramen and udon. This place may not be very fancy but the food is great and not very expensive either. Everyone I know comes here," he commented as he took another mouthful of his pork ramen. Chigusa smiled warmly, "Don't worry about that. This is the best I've ever tasted! Do you come here a lot?" she asked as Neinai all but inhaled her dessert.

He nodded as he swallowed his mouthful, "Yeah, I order from here and they deliver it to the grocery store where I work whenever I'm on my break," Ryou replied finishing his portion and pushing the bowl aside. He leaned back and raised an eyebrow as Chigusa ordered a third bowl for herself. Ryou smirked, "Man, you sure have a healthy appetite don't you?" he asked and she blinked in surprise before turning beet red. "Oh! Well um…I s-suppose I do," she stammered now seeming embarrassed for eating like this. She looked down at her food and played with it silently.

Seeing that his comment was making her uncomfortable Ryou rubbed his neck, "I just mean that I see so many girls at school who always complain that their too 'fat' or that they need to go on a diet," he hurried on, "It's nice to see someone who actually eats more then three mouthfuls for lunch, that's all. I meant that as a complement. I like the way you look," he amended and then gave himself a mental slap as the bill for their food came. He hadn't quite meant to say that last part. Chigusa fiddled with her chopsticks, "Oh well…thanks Ryou," she finally settled on, looking up at him with a shy smile and pink cheeks.

Ryou felt his own mouth twitch up into a smile as well. He just couldn't help it; she was…cute, especially with the way she always tried to please him, always tried her best to help and assist him and anyone else in any that she possibly could. Neinai's eyes flicked back and forth between the two and she was forced to hide her growing grin behind her cup of tea. This day was turning out to be a success after all. So far Ryou and Chigusa were getting along great.

He paid the bill for them and they headed back out into the streets of Tokyo. Neinai hung back a little so Chigusa and Ryou could talk on their own. It was obvious that they were greatly enjoying one another's company. _Those two are perfect for each other…I can sense it in my bones, _Neinai considered, still grinning to herself as they headed into a large bookstore.

Chigusa was impressed by the amount and variety of books, magazines, and manga that were here. She turned to Ryou who was standing there with his hands in his pockets. "I didn't know you liked to read," she commented in surprise and the teenager gave a shrug at that. "Yeah well, I'm usually busy with school, work, and playing The World, but I still try and find time to come here and buy a book or two," Ryou muttered looking away, "It's…not a hobby that many people know about," he added hesitantly.

Chigusa shook her head, "No, that's wonderful! There aren't many guys I know that actually take the time to read books anymore. Everyone just spends all of their free time online these days. I think its good that you enjoy reading," she commented sincerely as Neinai eyed some magazines on bodybuilding. Ryou waved her off, "Yeah, yeah, I get the point now, stop embarrassing me already," he scowled and Chigusa giggled at his reaction. It was so typical of him, and rather adorable as well.

They spent at least another two hours lost among the bookshelves and magazine racks. Chigusa was currently examining a handbook on the various birds of Asia. She was startled when Ryou suddenly leaned over her shoulder to look at the title, "Oh that's right you have three birds of your own at home don't you?" he commented as he leaned back. She nodded slowly in surprise, he'd caught her off guard once again, "You actually remember that? I thought you would have forgotten by now. I mean my life couldn't really all THAT interesting compared to yours," Chigusa stated with a slight frown as she saw the price on it.

Ryou sighed slightly at her typical self-depreciating statement, and the thing was she hadn't even noticed she said it. "You're one of my best friends, of course I would remember something like that," he chided and Chigusa smiled at that. It felt good to know that he really thought of her as a close companion of his.

Turning back to the bookshelf she placed the thick volume back on the ledge. It was far more then she could ever pay for. It would take weeks, if not months of saving before she could afford to spend that kind of money on herself. Ryou noticed her slightly disappointed expression but remained silent as she moved on. His eyes, however, took note of the title of the book and the section they were in and he hung back a little as Chigusa moved further on.

Several minutes later they were finished and Chigusa and Neinai were waiting outside. The latter beaming happily as she flipped one of several magazines she'd bought for herself. The door chimed as Ryou came back out with a bag on his arm and walked over to them. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," he said by way of apology and Chigusa shook her head, "What did you buy?" she asked innocently, whatever was in the bag seemed rather large.

Ryou tilted his head slightly and smirked at her, his eyes dancing with personal amusement. He shrugged slightly at her inquiry, "Oh…just something that looked interesting is all," he replied easily as his crimson eyes examined her, and Chigusa could feel herself blushing once again under his gaze. Quickly she looked away and focused on her shoes instead. Why was she blushing like this? All he did was answer her question, and do that thing with his eyes of course.

Taking great pleasure in her reaction, Ryou continued watching her and finally she glanced back up only to see that he was still staring. Chigusa fidgeted a bit as a timid smile came to her face and Ryou responded with one of his own. Neinai glanced up to see them, once again, watching one another. She rolled her eyes that this; they had been doing this all day long. One looking up, the other looking down, both looking at each other with a playful smile on their faces. They were flirting with each other and didn't even realize it.

She snapped her magazine shut and they both blinked and then looked over at her. "The sun is setting fast, why don't we head over to the Rainbow Bridge?" Neinai suggested happily; who knew how long those two would stand there eyeing each other otherwise. Ryou nodded in agreement, "Sure, it will be pretty dark when we get there so the suspension lights should be on," he said and motioned for them to follow him. Once again Chigusa walked next to him and they continued talking about their personal lives and laughing occasionally.

This time, though, Neinai couldn't help but notice the subtle way Ryou seemed to focus on Chigusa's every move. The way she moved her hands, how she spoke, when she smiled at him, everything. He seemed, well…captivated by her for lack of a better word. It was almost as if he couldn't take his eyes off the girl walking next to him, but the way in which he did it was so smooth, so restrained that Chigusa failed to notice his behavior.

Neinai hummed thoughtfully at that, _Ahh, and another couple is born. It's good to see Chigusa enjoying herself without having to worry about her parents interrupting things, _she thought with a scowl as she thought about Chigusa's parents. But those negative thoughts were quickly pushed aside. Today was a day for fun, enjoyment, and making sure that her friend had a good time instead of sulking about in her room. Neinai, being the good friend that she was, was going to make sure that Chigusa truly enjoyed herself today.

By the time they got to the Rainbow Bridge it was indeed dark, so they stood near the water watching the red, white, and green colors dance across the suspension bridge. Ryou turned to Chigusa and hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "So I've been thinking…" he said slowly, still gazing at the bridge. Chigusa looked over at her friend and tilted her head slightly, he was clearly nervous about something. Ryou swallowed hard and hoped that what he was about to say didn't sound too cheesy. He looked down at his hands and then glanced over at her before looking down again.

Ryou paused a moment longer before finally coming out with it, "I was…thinking that maybe I could have your cell phone number…so we could contact each other outside of The World that is," he asked and there was enough street light to see that his face was quickly turning red. "I mean e-mail only does so much for a person. I'd…like to talk with you more," he added shifting his weight. He glanced up at her hesitantly, "I…want to get to know you better," Ryou continued, making it sound more like a question then a statement.

Chigusa stared at him in surprise as she too began blushing at those words. Her phone number? That was the last thing that she had been expecting to come out of his mouth. But as her shock faded Chigusa found that she had to bite her tongue to keep from giggling at him. He just seemed so embarrassed by this request. And knowing Ryou's personality and what he had been through in the past, Chigusa realized how much courage it must have taken to finally asked her this kind of question. It was rather sudden after all.

She decided to let him hang for a moment as she mulled the thought over. But inwardly she was jumping up and down with joy. This was far more then she ever would have dared to hope for. Could things get any better than this? Chigusa nodded at him, "Sure that'd be great. I'd love to exchange numbers with you. I would…really like to know you better as well," she added shyly. Ryou visible perked up at those words and he seemed almost relived as he took out his cell phone.

Chigusa gave him her number and then inputted his digits into her own phone. She slid it back into her pocket and they stood next to each other, leaning against the railing and watching the Rainbow Bridge for a while longer, the silence easy and comfortable. But ultimately they had to get going before the time grew too late, so Ryou led them back to the train station where Chigusa and Neinai had first arrived.

As they stood on the platform Neinai sidled far enough away so that she would still be in sight but not really be able to overhear much. Ryou rubbed his neck and then extended the bag that was on his arm to her. Chigusa frowned and looked down at it and then up at him, "But this is what you bought from the bookstore isn't it?" she questioned and he sighed heavily, "Just look inside already would you?" he demanded, so she took the bag from his hands and grunted at how heavy it was.

Chigusa gasped when she realized that it was the same book on birds that she had been looking at back at the bookstore. Her head snapped up to stare at Ryou with a questioning look on her face, "But…but…I mean…this was so expensive…you shouldn't have spent that kind of money for it…for me, I mean. I don't deserve something like this," she objected but he simply shook his head at her words.

Ryou stuck his hands in his pockets and looked over to where the train would soon be arriving, "You were only going to be here for the day and I could see how much you wanted it. I really don't mind buying it for you; so don't worry about it," he assured her but Chigusa still seemed reluctant. Ryou turned back to her with a smile, "Hey, if you really want to make it up to me, then just keep Endrance from fussing over me for a little while would you? I mean he's my friend and everything but one can only take so much of him at once you know?" he asked and she couldn't help but smile at that request.

"Sure thing Ryou," she promised feeling a spurt of excitement. He had actually gotten her a gift! No guy had ever really done that for her before and meant it. Chigusa wanted to hug him but kept her impulse under wraps. This was the first time they had actually met face to face after all so he might not take it so well. Ryou noticed her gleeful expression and rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what it meant.

"Fine, fine, go ahead I don't mind," the teenager relented and Chigusa's grin broadened as she all but threw her arms around him in a hug to show her appreciation for what he had done for her. Ryou didn't stiffen or pull away as she half expected him to; instead he just placed a hand on her back, not really being one for hugs and all, but with her…he didn't mind so much. To say that Chigusa was overjoyed would be a major understatement. "Thank you **so much** for what you've done today Ryou…I had so much fun," she whispered before pulling away from him.

Ryou now seemed embarrassed once again and grunted in acknowledgement, "Yeah well…I really enjoyed having you around. I hope we get to meet each other again like this soon," he replied rubbing his neck as he always did when he got nervous or uncomfortable. They were interrupted by the sound of the train approaching and then slowing down as it arrived at the station. Chigusa bowed slightly to him, "Thanks again Ryou. I really did have fun with you today," she added and he gave a nonchalant shrug at that.

He slid his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms, "Why don't you call me when you get back home? So I know you got back okay and everything?" Ryou asked and Chigusa nodded in agreement before following Neinai onto the train. She waved to him as the train pulled off, heading back to Chiba.

* * *

Ryou opened the door to his apartment and headed in, locking it behind him. He bent over and picked up Shira who was getting ready to yowl her displeasure at not being fed on time. He stroked the kitten until she began purring contentedly, apparently forgiving his tardiness in exchange for a little affection. He got out a can of cat food and fed to the white kitten before shrugging out of his jacket and heading into his room.

With a smile on his face he collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Today had been very good indeed. Skeith, though, would probably start screaming at him the moment he went back into The World, the Avatar hated being left out of things after all, but he didn't care about that at the moment.

Being with Chigusa today was just what he had needed in order to relax and calm down from all of the chaos that had been going on lately. She was…perfect…in every way. Well, not literally of course, she had her faults and all, but Ryou was willing to look past those. Deep down she was a much better person then he probably deserved.

He smirked and looked at his cell phone that now held her number within it. Ryou sighed and set it on the table beside him. Reluctantly he sat back up and decided to straighten out his apartment a little. It wasn't that late after all. Shira of course was practically glued to his heels and kept following him everywhere, as if to make sure that her master wasn't going to leave again. When he'd finished with his chores he laid back down on his bed and Shira jumped up beside him and proceeded to make herself comfortable on his chest.

Ryou slowly petted the little feline and she sighed and closed her eyes. He was distracted by the sound of his phone vibrating. He picked it up and smiled when he saw the name Chigusa on the screen. He quickly picked it up, "Hey there, I take it you got back okay?" he questioned and there was a chuckle on the other end, "Yep, I had to be grilled by my parents first but apparently you pass…for now that is. As long as they never meet you face to face I'm sure they'll like you just fine," Chigusa replied with a giggle.

Ryou smirked and placed a hand behind his head, "Yeah, some parents can really be a pain can't they? I love my mom and all but she's always taking about how she never gets to spend enough time with 'her baby'. I mean we talk all the time," he commented with a roll of his eyes at that term she always used to describe him. He could hear Chigusa laugh at that, "I think it's great that she wants to spend time with you. If only I were so fortunate," she put in serenely.

They continued talking most of the night, just speaking about their lives in general and enjoying the simple aspect of talking to one another about everything and nothing all at the same time. And that was the way it went for at least another three hours.

* * *

**AN:** Awww, Isn't that just so sweet? Fluff, fluff, and more fluff for all of you HaseoxAtoli or RyouxkChigusa fans out there. Yes, this whole thing only happened in one chapter for time's sake but don't worry they'll be meeting each other offline again. But next time it will be FAR more unpleasant.

So please go down and press that pretty little button. You know you want to.


	16. Falling Embers, Rising Stars

**AN:** Hello again! I'm sure you're all wondering what happened to Alkaid after she was attacked by Skeith right? Right. Well this picks up just over a week later, a few days after Haseo and Atoli meet offline. I thought it prudent to focus on some of the other characters for a bit, because they play a big role in this whole mess as well. So here you go everyone.I had something else planned but…what the heck, things change, and next installment I'll be back on track with plenty of action for you all.

Chapter 16: Falling Embers, Rising Stars

* * *

Alkaid had fallen apart. Ever since Skeith attacked her over a week ago she hadn't been able to pull herself back together. Fields that should have posed no problem for her at her current level were now all but insurmountable. The Twin Blade was only just scraping by in the arena and had just barely been able to make it through the last tournament round. Next up would be the title match that would decide the next Demon Palace Emperor. If she didn't make it through then she would be humiliated in front of everyone in The World.

With a heavy sigh the red head leaned back against the wall. She was in the back alleys of Mac Anu trying to piece herself, and her emotions, back together. Alkaid wanted to blame Skeith for what had happened that day, but at the same time she knew that wasn't fair to either him or Haseo if she did so. If there had been another player there in that field the same thing would have happened, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't anyone's fault that she had ended up like this.

_But that doesn't make dealing with it any easier, _Alkaid considered miserably, feeling as if everything that she had done in The World was for naught. Sure she had once been an Emperor; sure she was one of the most famous players in the game, but for what? At the end of the day it all meant absolutely nothing. Being attacked like that had only shown her how weak and useless all of her bravado really was.

_I may be well known right now, but what about when I start losing? People only care as long as I keep winning. Once all the fame and glory has faded away…I don't have any real friends here, _Alkaid realized with silent misery. Sure people flocked to her and her party list was all but bursting at the seams…but those players only wanted to be around the Twin Blade because she was so famous.

Alkaid loved The World and all the things that it could offer; she was practically a legend here and everybody knew her name and looked up to her. They praised her power and came in droves to see her fight at the arena. But at the same time she was more alone here then she was offline. Much as she loved the attention Alkaid knew better then to fool herself into actually believing that these other players cared about her. She was just the current fad, an icon that would fade away all to quickly just as in the real world.

Even at school she could hardly be deemed 'popular,' instead she had always been the girl sitting at a table with all of the other outcasts and misfits. Her interests weren't exactly mainstream after all; in fact most of the other teens looked down on her with condescension and thinly disguised disdain. But that had never bothered Alkaid before. She had always been proud of the fact that she was different and bold enough to stand on her own without just following the crowd the way all the other girls did. Being by herself had been no big deal; in fact she had rather enjoyed it…until now that is.

Now Alkaid found that she had no real friends, no one that she could just hang out with and talk to; just a bunch of groupies and admirers that would only be around as long as she was popular. And even now those who had formerly been so eager to party with her now had other things to do or were 'busy' whenever Alkaid tried to contact them.

She looked up briefly to see a guy and girl pointing at her and laughing. Alkaid gritted her teeth and stood up, walking away from them stiffly. _What if I don't win the title match? What if I'm defeated again? I'll have lost everything…_she thought heavily. Her greatest fear was losing all of the fame and glory that she had worked so hard to achieve. Alkaid poured her heart and soul into becoming stronger, and reclaiming her throne as Emperor was her greatest dream.

Realizing the turn her thoughts were taking Alkaid shook her head strongly, _Cut it out will you! Your acting like some newbie who's vying for the popular kids' approval, _she recognized irritably as she stopped at the bridge and leaned against the sidewall. But that still didn't make her feel any better.

Growling with frustration she stared up at the twilight sky, _Sirius would laugh if he saw me acting like this. Then he'd go off on another tangent of his and talk about how I've 'forgotten my true reason for being here' and how 'a true warrior never loses sight of their goals' or something like that, _Alkaid considered as a tiny smile graced her features at that train of thought. Heck, she could see her friend now, staring down at her with that oh-so-typical scowl on his face as he chastised her for wavering in her convictions like this.

Quickly though her smile faded, _But…am I really his friend? Or am I just a convenient sparing partner? Just another person that he forgets about at the end of the day when he logs off?_ Alkaid wondered as her spirits fell even further. Sirius was exceptionally hard to read after all, one could never tell what he was thinking about. The fact that he rarely, if ever, vocalized his feelings and emotions certainly didn't help either.

The former Holy Palace Emperor was a lone wolf who didn't like having too many people around him. In fact whenever you saw Sirius he was usually alone, even if he was in a field or dungeon. Antares and Taihaku could hardly be called his friends and as for her…well, Alkaid wasn't exactly sure where they stood. It wasn't like Sirius was going to venture forth any information in that department. She would be shocked if he considered her more then just a casual associate.

Alkaid groaned and ran a hand through her hair, _Great…now I feel even worse then I did before, _she reflected sullenly as she stood up straight and continued walking. But she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard someone call out her name. "Alkaid?" a male voice asked hesitantly and the Twin Blade paused for a moment before turning around. She knew precisely who it was and he wasn't exactly a person that she was keen on talking to at the moment.

Slowly Alkaid turned around and, just as she thought, saw Haseo standing there with Atoli by his side. She felt a tight squeeze in her chest at that sight and looked away towards the river that wound through Mac Anu. Lately the forums and Apkalu had practically been overflowing with threads and pictures about the two of them hanging out together, so it was pretty much confirmed that they were a couple now. Anyone and everyone could see just how much they cared about each other, and if they weren't dating yet then they certainly would be soon enough.

Just another twist added to the knife that was currently lodged in Alkaid's heart. Haseo seemed uncomfortable, especially considering that Skeith had taken over his mind and attacked her the last time they had met. Finally he cleared his throat and spoke up, "Hey…I uh…saw your last tournament match," Haseo said awkwardly as Atoli's gaze flicked back and forth between the two.

Grimacing a bit at that Alkaid nodded, "Yeah…I suppose I did all right there didn't I?" she put in trying to sound cheerful. Atoli looked as if she wanted to say something but couldn't quite find the right words, and Alkaid knew just how she felt. The tension that hung between all of them was thick and stifling. None of them knew just how to breach the subject of what had happened that day; so instead they all just stood there looking and feeling like idiots.

Ultimately Atoli spoke up, "Just hang in there Alkaid, I know that you'll win the title match! You just have to keep working hard that's all!" she put in with sincere support and encouragement. The red head nodded and plastered a fake smile on her face, "Thanks! Just you wait, I'll be Emperor in no time!" Alkaid said pouring as much confidence into that statement as she possibly could.

Haseo still looked uneasy and at last managed to say, "Hey…about the other day, I wanted to apologize for Skeith attacking you like that," he commented tentatively but Alkaid shook her head, "Don't worry about that, it wasn't your fault that that happened so don't blame yourself. I've been through worse, so hold your head up, it's not like you to act like this," she fired back but Haseo didn't seem to believe her.

In fact Alkaid could make out the hazy outline of Skeith hovering above his user. The monster shifted suddenly and looked down, staring right at her. Alkaid felt her mouth go dry and she couldn't help but take a step back as the Avatar continued to gaze at her with those piercing crimson eyes. "I-I have to get going now. I've got a lot to do," Alkaid stammered out, stepping back again before hurrying away and leaving Haseo and Atoli standing there alone in the middle of the road.

The Adept Rouge continued staring at where the former Emperor had been just a moment ago. Sighing heavily he ran a hand through his hair, "Great…that went terribly now didn't it?" Haseo muttered with slight grimace on his face. Atoli gave him a sympathetic look, "Don't blame yourself. It was an accident and nothing else. It's not like you planned for that to happen. Besides, Alkaid made it out okay in the end. Things could have been a lot worse," she reminded him and he nodded slowly. "Yeah…but still…I don't know, what do you think?" Haseo asked and the Harvest Cleric thought about that for a moment.

Atoli then slid her hand into his and gave it a squeeze, "Look, I can tell that Alkaid is bothered by what happened that day…but she's a tough person; she'll be alright. Nothing you say is going to make her feel any better any sooner. I think that maybe you should just leave her alone for a while so she can sort through her feelings on the whole thing," she suggested and Haseo stared at her for a moment in suspicion, "Really? And how do you know all that?" he asked curiously.

Atoli smiled warmly at him, "Just call it female intuition," she responded smugly and Haseo rolled his eyes and snorted in disbelief at that bit of information. "Female intuition hunh? Remind me not to ask for _your_ opinion next time," he muttered clearly not believing that. Atoli narrowed her eyes at those words and stayed quiet for a moment before ultimately shaking her head, "I'm going to do you a favor and forget you ever said that," she finally decided with a slightly indignant huff.

Haseo merely smirked a bit at that small victory and allowed Atoli to pull him off towards the dome where Silabus was waiting for them.

* * *

"And the bright star that is Sirius has risen above yet another challenge!" the announcer called out with his usual passion. "If he wins the title match then Sirius will once again be Emperor of the Holy Palace! This has truly been a fight to behold! One can only wonder what will happen during the title match!" he shouted enthusiastically as the crowd roared with approval.

But Sirius wasn't as happy over this victory as he should have been. Lifting his head the beast player turned to the stands and scanned the crowd, hoping to see Alkaid standing up there watching the match. But just as he figured she was nowhere to be seen. With a heavy sigh Sirius turned away as his party warped out of the arena and then headed outside of the Holy Palace. But his mind stayed on the Twin Blade. Ever since Skeith attacked her that day Alkaid hadn't been herself. It was like all her confidence and strength had drained away.

_It's not like her to be acting like this…what could possibly be wrong? There's no way she should be having difficulty against those other teams in the Demon Palace, _Sirius considered sourly, crossing his arms as he thought. He personally had chosen to party with Taihaku and Antares as he fought against those in the Holy Palace, but as for Alkaid…lately it seemed like she was completely alone. Usually she had one of her many admirers following her around.

That last thought switched on a light in Sirius' head and he frowned as he continued thinking, _Alkaid doesn't really HAVE many friends…just a bunch of fans who have all but abandoned her now that she's having trouble in the arena, _the lanky Tribal Grappler considered with growing anger. The forums had been talking about how Alkaid had never quite managed to recover after losing to Endrance, and now everyone figured that it was only a matter of time before she was taken down once again. No one else in The World expected her to become Emperor again.

Sirius' reflections were momentarily interrupted when Taihaku stepped forward, "Well, I must say that was an engaging fight. It feels good to back in the arena testing my strength. I almost feel young again," he commented with a slight chuckle. "I thank you for the invitation Sirius and I look forward to the title match," the aged warrior said with a slight nod before heading off to the Chaos Gate.

Still partially lost in thought the beast PC merely grunted to acknowledge that his companion had said something. Antares watched the younger man closely and then shook his head, he knew exactly what was bothering Sirius, and it all had to do with a feisty red haired Twin Blade. Antares cleared his throat to get the other man's attention and Sirius was reluctantly forced from his ruminations; "What?" the beast PC growled out irritably, clearly unhappy at the interruption.

Antares looked up at him, "When are you just going to come out and admit it kid?" he questioned decisively and Sirius frowned a little, "What are you talking about?" he replied with slight confusion. The Blade Brandier gave an incredulous grunt at that comment, yet another thickheaded young person to get through to. "What I _mean_ is…" Antares emphasized slowly, "when are you finally going to admit that your upset over what's happening to Alkaid?" he demanded in a slightly scolding tone.

Sirius seemed taken aback and then scowled at him, "I'm not worried about anyone," he refuted stubbornly. Antares sighed heavily at that, it was so typical of him, "Stop being so obstinate and open your eyes already! You could barely focus out there! Do you have any idea of how many times Taihaku and I had to save your tail during the fight?" he fired back unsympathetically. The beast grunted and looked away, his resolve unmoved.

But Antares was going to get through to him one way or another, "Look Sirius, what I'm trying to say is that if you would just get over your over-inflated pride for a moment and admit that you actually care about her, in some small way at least, then you might be able to help Alkaid get through this!" Antares said strongly, he was worried about the Twin Blade as well and wanted to make her feel better in any way that he could. And the best way to do that was to get through to the man standing in front of him.

Opening his mouth to make a statement Sirius found that he had nothing to say and instead gritted his teeth as Antares continued. "Look, I'm sure you've noticed that Alkaid has been pretty much abandoned lately. All of her fans and followers have left her high and dry. No one wants to take the chance of being seen with her if she loses the title match," Antares spelled out for him and Sirius' expression darkened with anger, "I can see that, but what do you expect _me_ to do about it?" the beast demanded haughtily.

_All males are completely clueless when it comes to women, _Antares considered somewhat crossly. "If you really care about Alkaid and think of her as your friend…then you'll do whatever you have to, to support and be there for her. With women you can't just _show_ that you care, they need you to _say_ it from time to time," he explained carefully and he could see Sirius considering that point. "How do you think Alkaid feels knowing that everyone who formerly supported and helped her is now expecting, and in some cases _hoping_, that she'll lose?" Antares prodded and the tall beast PC let his arms drop to his sides at that.

Sirius fidgeted uncomfortably as he remembered how afraid he personally had been of losing his title as Holy Palace Emperor. He had gone so far that AIDA had been attracted to his strong emotions and begun controlling him. So could he really blame Alkaid for acting and feeling the way was she did right now? _How must she feel? Not only has she lost in the arena before…but now everyone Alkaid knows has abandoned her and she can barely stand on her own two feet, _Sirius thought realizing that Antares was right about all of this.

He turned back to the receptionist counter as an idea began forming in his head. Antares gave him a subtle nudge, "Go on…Alkaid needs you to be there as her friend right now. Otherwise she really IS going to lose that fight. Cause I doubt that anyone else is going to be willing to join her party," he pushed and Sirius stood up straighter and looked away awkwardly, "Thanks…Antares," he finally grunted out but the masked man waved him off. "We'll just see how that title match turns out. You can thank me _after_ Alkaid wins," he warned before heading off.

Sirius paused to look up at the night sky of Lumina Cloth. If he really wanted to show Alkaid that he considered her a close friend of his…then he knew what he had to do. Besides, there would be plenty of opportunities for this later. Nodding slightly to confirm his decision, Sirius turned and headed back to the arena counter.

* * *

Alkaid couldn't believe what she was seeing. The title match for the Holy Palace was an hour before the final tournament fight in the Demon Palace so she had come here to watch her friend…but Sirius had yet to show up. _What is that overgrown idiot doing? If he doesn't show up in 5 minutes then he'll lose the match by default! _the Twin Blade realized as her hands gripped the railing.

All participating PC's were given up to 20 minutes to show up; otherwise they would automatically be disqualified. Sirius was adamant about reclaiming his title so Alkaid was shocked to find that he hadn't even shown up yet.

The entire crowd was in an uproar, wondering when, and if, he was going to show. But as the minutes ticked by it became all too apparent that Sirius really wasn't going to come. Finally the allotted time ran out and the announcer was forced to make a decision, "Sorry folks, but time is up! Since Sirius and his party have failed to show, Team Backdraft is the winner!" he called out and the declaration was met with much displeasure and loud booing.

Alkaid's jaw dropped at that statement, _But…but WHY? Why would Sirius just blow this off? It doesn't make any sense. Did he finally lose it upstairs or something?_ she speculated with a deep scowl as she headed out of the stands along with some of the other PC's.

This defied everything she knew about Sirius. _Did something bad happen to him? _Alkaid reflected growing concerned. This kind of action was so unusual that she couldn't help but be worried about whether or not something terrible had happened. She paused for a moment to check the time and found that she still had 30 minutes before her match. Of course she would be doing it alone since everyone on her party list was conveniently 'busy' or 'offline.'

With a heavy sigh Alkaid took a seat on the steps as she waited until it was time to enter the last match. She could hear the other players talking about Sirius, "I can't believe he didn't show up! I was so looking forward to seeing him pull off another win!" a girl whined and her companion replied with, "Maybe Sirius has been hanging out with Alkaid too much. Everyone knows she's going to lose tonight," he sneered and the Twin Blade couldn't help but flinch slightly at that and other comments that were along the same lines.

The red head sighed heavily as her confidence slid down to an all time low. _Great…the way things are going I'm going to end up chickening out before the stupid match even starts, _Alkaid realized dropping her head down into her arms. She loathed herself for feeling this way, for being so _weak_ and emotionally fragile.

This was wasn't like her at all; Alkaid knew that she wasn't a girl who depended on the approval of others for confidence and self worth. At least…she had never _thought_ of herself as being that sort of person. Now, however, all Alkaid could dwell on was the fact that she was alone and basically discarded by all the people she had once considered her friends. She just hated the feeling of knowing that those who had once supported her wholeheartedly now viewed her as useless and unnecessary.

"Your going to be late for your match if you keep sitting here you know," a deep and familiar voice commented calmly. Alkaid's head snapped up, only to find none other then Sirius standing over her. He tilted his head slightly and nodded towards the counter, "Shouldn't you be getting ready?" he questioned curiously and Alkaid gaped at him. When she finally found her voice she narrowed her eyes with suspicion and disbelief, "What in the world are you _doing_ here? Why did you blow off the title match at the Holy Palace? Everyone was waiting for you to show up?! **I** was waiting for you to show up," she declared incredulously.

Sirius crossed his arms tolerantly as he replied to her inquiry, "Because as much as I want to become the Emperor again…I came to realize that there was something else that was, and should be, far more important to me," he explained carefully as Alkaid stood up with a frown still on her face. The Twin Blade shook her head, "But…I still don't get it. I mean…that meant _everything_ to you," she reminded him, clearly confused by his current actions.

The beast PC shrugged casually, "There will always be other opportunities to enter the Holy Palace," he reminded her and held up his hand before she could continue, "And as I suspected it looks like no one else has shown up to help you," Sirius observed as he looked around the area. Alkaid's expression fell slightly and she looked down at the ground, "Everyone just assumes that I'm going to lose the match…no one wants to risk being seen with me," she agreed her voice and eyes full of barely suppressed pain and frustration as she turned away from him.

Sirius expression softened at that admission, it was one thing to hear and see others discussing it, and another to actually hear those words coming from Alkaid herself. _It looks like Antares was right once again, _he reflected, remembering everything that the older man had told him. Alkaid seemed like she had already given up before even bothering to fight.

He stood up straighter and took a deep breath before finally giving voice to the reason why he was here, "Then I suppose _we'll_ just have to show them wrong…won't we Alkaid?" Sirius asked with a rather pleased smile on his face as she stared at him in shock. "You don't mean…you COULDN'T mean…" the Twin Blade began in disbelief and the beast PC nodded in confirmation.

"A true warrior is never to proud to help those around him," he said firmly, "Helping out my best friend is more important then the title of Holy Palace Emperor will _ever_ be. Therefore, I've decided to join your party and help you show all of these nonbelievers how powerful you really are," Sirius assured her.

Alkaid didn't know what to say, how should she respond to something like that? When she found her voice again she couldn't keep it from wavering with emotion, "You gave up your chance of being Emperor…just so you could help _me_ win the title match?" she asked softly and Sirius put his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I know I can be a bit…stiff at times Alkaid," he admitted slowly, "But I DO care about you and think of you as my friend. And friends help each other no matter what don't they?" he prodded and she gave a small nod as she remained silent.

But when a strangled sound came from Alkaid's throat Sirius backed up and scowled at her, "But if you start crying on me then I'm out of here," he warned eyeing her as if she was a dangerous creature. Alkaid snorted and crossed her arms, "Alright, alright, I get it already!" she fired back and looked away, "And I'm NOT crying," she said her jaw set stubbornly, even though he could tell that she was lying.

When Sirius continued staring at her through narrowed eyes Alkaid glared at him briefly. Their staring contest, however, was interrupted when someone said, "Not planning on leaving _me_ out of this are you?" they both turned to find Taihaku standing there watching them closely. The old warrior smiled slightly, "Three former Emperor's teaming up and sweeping all three arenas? That's one for the record books wouldn't you say?" he questioned with a nod to both of them.

Alkaid felt her spirits lift at those words. "Thank you…both of you," she whispered, her voice full of gratitude and appreciation for their support. Sirius lifted his chin proudly, "Come on, lets get moving, we don't want to be late for the match now do we?" he commented and Alkaid stood taller, her poise beginning to return. "Right, I'll show all those nonbelievers how powerful I really am! They'll rue the day they tried to wipe _my_ name from The World!" she shouted with determination and Taihaku nodded with approval as Alkaid headed off towards the counter.

Sirius watched her with a warm smile on his face, glad to see that she was finally returning to normal again. _Don't worry Alkaid…win or lose I'll stand behind you, _he determined as he followed her.

* * *

Alkaid grinned happily as she greeted and chatted with the other players. They were currently celebrating their amazing victory on the island just outside of Mac Anu where the commemoration and celebration took place to honor the new Emperor's.

With the support of Taihaku and Sirius, she had pulled off an incredible win at the Demon Palace arena and had they had risen to the rank of Emperor once again. In fact the battle hadn't even lasted 5 minutes. The other team just couldn't stand up to their combined power. On the other hand, the crowd, and the over zealous announcer in particular, had been shocked to see Sirius and Taihaku as a part of her team.

Now, though, The World was abuzz with the news of the three former Emperors coming together to win the tournament, and everyone was expecting them to move onto the Holy Palace and then the Sage Palace after that.

The Twin Blade had recovered from her brief episode of self-doubt and was now more confident then ever before, if that was even possible. It felt good to know that Sirius and Taihaku actually viewed her as their friend. She had kind of always suspected it but it was nice to hear them say it every once in a while.

Alkaid managed to slip away from the crowd headed down to the docks and sat down at the edge of the pier. She sighed in contentment as she looked out over the water. She suspected that Antares also had a hand in pushing Sirius to join her party, the man did tend to work behind the scenes more often then people realized. _I don't know what I would have done without them. If not for their support there's no way I would have been able to win my title back, _she thought clenching her fist.

But now she was feeling better then ever and wouldn't allow herself to fall back into that depressing rut. Alkaid knew she was better then that and as long as Sirius and Taihaku supported her then she didn't need anyone else's approval or appreciation. The World was an amazing place and had so much to offer, she stayed here because it was what SHE wanted and because she loved the challenge of playing and becoming stronger, not because she needed the endorsement of the other players.

She was distracted by the sound of footsteps coming up behind her. Alkaid turned around and saw Sirius heading her way; the beast player nodded in greeting and sat down cross-legged next to her. They sat in silence for a while, both just enjoying the moment and basking in the glory of their victory. Alkaid glanced over at the man and her cheeks turned slightly pink with embarrassment as she finally said, "Hey, Sirius?" was her slightly timid inquiry.

He looked over curiously but didn't bother to comment. Alkaid turned back towards the water to avoid his gaze, "I just…" she hesitated and looked down at her hands as Sirius stared at her evenly. "Thanks…for helping me out back there…I wouldn't have been able to win without your help," the red head awkwardly confessed to him. He tilted his head slightly as a smug look worked its way onto his face. Alkaid frowned at that, "What?!" she demanded, wondering why he was staring at her like that.

Sirius shook his head in calm dismissal, "It's nothing…I'm just glad I could be of assistance," he replied tranquilly. They both sat there quietly until it grew late and Sirius got up to leave, but just before he could take a step Alkaid reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

The tall PC raised an eyebrow as he waited for her to explain; Alkaid for her part actually blushed as she stared down at where her hand had grabbed his arm. "Sirius, what you did back there…it really means a lot to me, and…I'm glad you came, she whispered feeling uncomfortable at this admission, she had always hated this kind of thing but it needed to be said.

Sirius stared down at her with a kind smile on his face, and expression that she'd seen only once before when she told him she was leaving Icolo, "If you ever need me for anything at all Alkaid…then I will _always_ be there for you. All you have to do is ask…and I'll come," he declared with firm resolution.

She was taken aback by that response, it was only on rare occasions that Sirius would give voice to his feelings, and if felt good to know that he cherished her in such a way. Alkaid dropped her arm and let him walk away, a smile of her own blossoming on her face as she watched him leave.

* * *

**AN: **I had something else planned for this chapter but then this idea popped into my head and I just couldn't resist! I happen to think that Alkaid and Sirius go quite well together don't you? This must be the only story so far that has set them up as a potential pairing. But with their age differences that's not surprising.

So I figured it couldn't hurt to throw this in so you all would know how things progressed after the whole Skeith incident. But next chapter we're right back on track and Aihane is ready to procure for himself another Avatar. This time he's set his sights on Yata and Fidchell. Will The Prophet pull off a victory? Or will Aihane gain the upper hand?

And thank you SO much for all of the reviews! It helps keep my inspiration alive knowing that there are so many people who actually like this piece of fanfiction! So please review and tell us what you think! For example one reviewer was nice enough to point out the age differences between Sirius (age 26) and Alkaid (age 16). Now for some this fact alone might cause them to shy a way from this potential pairing, but for me age differences aren't a big deal.

If Sirius was 30 years or above however…well then that would just be a bit creepy now wouldn't it? And I would just drop the issue. But that is not the case. So for me it is not a big issue, which is why I put this chapter up. Besides their still _just_ friends at the moment and aside from a few mentions here and there I won't really be focusing on them too much. Just thought I would let you all know that! Hope it doesn't bother anybody.

Next installment will be up soon.


	17. Prophetic Downfall

Chapter 17: Prophetic Downfall

* * *

Fidchell disappeared just in time to avoid Corbenik's _Fearful Visitor_ attack, The Rebirth's left arm missing The Prophet by mere inches. Reappearing behind the blue Avatar, Fidchell lifted his arm and used _Spinning Death_, sending the large metal chakram whirling towards his opponent.

Yata cursed inwardly when Corbenik dodged the attack and snapped his left arm around, sending a bunch of purple spikes towards the other Avatar and scoring a direct hit. Grimacing at the pain that shot through his chest, Yata forced himself to keep going and not hesitate, in a battle like this, hesitation meant defeat. The Rebirth wasn't to be taken lightly, he was powerful, intelligent, and under Aihane's control. There was no telling what he was capable of now.

The G.U. Guild Master had come here in response to an unusual area signal. Tartarga hadn't been able to decipher it and Yata himself had been at a loss as to what it was. All of the other Epitaph Users were busy at the moment, and Pi was offline taking care of some other responsibilities, otherwise he would have had her come along with him just in case a situation like this presented itself.

Now, though, wasn't the time to be thinking of such things. Yata knew deep in his heart that fighting alone like this was fruitless. Even Skeith and Innis fighting together in Lumina Cloth hadn't been enough to stop Corbenik, and they had far more battle experience then Fidchell did. _But to give up means to lose everything I've worked for…I will __**not**__ allow Aihane to get his hands on another Epitaph! _Yata thought resolutely as he dodged Corbenik's _Clinch Needle_ attack just in time.

If it were at all possible, Yata would have sent off a flash mail to one of the others, sacrificing his pride in favor of coming out of this battle in one piece. But, of course, Aihane had hacked The World's system, disabling any and all commands that would have enabled the man to call for help. The AIDA field now surrounding the two Avatars could not be penetrated; Yata was on his own and NO ONE was coming to help him this time.

The Guild Master's ruminations were interrupted when Corbenik backed up several feet and called forth an orb of energy before using _Clinch Needle_ again, firing off dozens of spikes towards Fidchell who disappeared again and moved over to the right. _Will of The Gods_ appeared as Yata commanded his Epitaph. Summoning a dark orb of data, the Avatar flung it towards Corbenik who easily knocked it away.

Dashing forward The Rebirth rammed his entire body into Fidchell with _Devil's Verdict_. Grabbing the other Avatar with his right arm, Corbenik slammed him into, and dragged him down, the wall before forcing him down to the ground before a blast of crimson energy finished up the attack. Corbenik backed up slightly as the light faded.

Fidchell merely floated there in the air, twitching slightly from the intense barrage, but Corbenik wasn't going to allow the other Epitaph any time to recover. The Rebirth used _Fearful Visitor_, bringing his left arm hook around and slashing into Fidchell twice, knocking him backwards before reaching out and grabbing him by the throat.

There was the hiss of static as Aihane spoke up, laughing to himself, "Well, well. Look at who we have here. It would seem to me that the one who is most dedicated to The World is the one who will next lose his Avatar. Sad isn't it? You've poured your heart into this game, and for what? Your Epitaph awakened last, you couldn't do anything to stop AIDA and Cubia, and you can't do anything against me now," the hacker said, clearly mocking Yata and everything he stood for.

With a pained grunt Fidchell glowed orange before releasing a bright blast of energy from his body that pushed Corbenik away. Seeing his chance Yata quickly retaliated once again with _Spinning Death_, the metal chakram slashed into The Rebirth's body creating an opening.

Not missing a beat, Fidchell used _Will of The Gods_ once again, faint symbols appearing in front of his body before the data orb slammed into and immobilized the blue Avatar. Two parallel figures appeared and a black shaft of energy slammed down onto Corbenik's body inflicting a lot of damage before dealing the last blow and sending him flying backwards

Yata flinched as another stab of pain shot through his chest, but he ignored it and ordered his Epitaph to use _Quadra Halo_ and the beams sliced through the air, scoring a direct hit on Corbenik. This was a serious matter and he didn't have time for witty banter or sarcastic comments. There was grunt of grudging appreciation from Aihane, "Not bad at all there Yata. It would seem that you _do_ have some fight left in you. But I'm afraid that it still will not do you any good," he put in mockingly as a cracks began to spider across the ground, breaking it apart as a loud rumble echoed in both of their ears.

_Celestial Wrath_ showed up and Corbenik fired a powerful blast into that sky. Moment's later dozens of beams came flying down everywhere, slamming into Fidchell over and over again. Darting closer the blue Avatar grabbed the other Epitaph and used _Devil's Verdict_ tearing into his body and exposing thin lines of data. Yata gasped in pain and clutched his chest as Fidchell let out a deep groan and slumped over.

Lifting his hand Corbenik gathered energy and used _Mental Vampirism_, draining more data from The Prophet and earning a piercing scream from the Avatar. As the attack faded a translucent shield appeared around Fidchell briefly before shattering with Protect Break. Yata felt a chill go up his spine as the ground beneath them shattered and a colossal jet-black and crimson claw shot up through the air, snapping shut around Fidchell and driving the air from Yata's body.

The ground was thrust aside as the biggest AIDA The World had ever seen pushed its way into the area. The name, Scorpius, which showed above its head, was unique as well and slightly familiar. Yata felt a chill slid up his spine as he recognized the virus. _This is the same one that attacked Skeith in Breg Epona! _he realized as panic started to take over, causing Fidchell to struggle harder in response to his User's fear. _Even Skeith ran away from this AIDA! There's no way that I can defeat it AND Corbenik,_ Yata realized quickly running through his options.

Initially CC Corp had let Yata take a short leave from his duties after seeing that AIDA had been taken care of and Cubia was no longer a threat. But when problems with Aihane started to crop up, both he and Pi had both returned as system admins to help remedy the situation. But it was obvious to Yata that he had failed yet again. AIDA was showing up everywhere, Corbenik had already been captured, and now he was about to lose Fidchell as well.

Scorpius legs flailed around wildly before finding purchase on the broken earth around it; slowly the scorpion AIDA heaved its body upwards and crawled through the data rift it had created with its abilities, all the while keeping a firm grip on Fidchell so as to keep the AI from escaping and running away along with his User.

Eyes gleaming Scorpius leaned closer, examining the newest of Aihane's victims as Yata ordered his Epitaph to attack with anything and everything possible. The only one that worked was _Spinning Death_ and even then the metal chakram shattered and broke apart the second it contacted Scorpius' dark armor. This of course had no effect on the AIDA and instead only served to annoy it.

Narrowing its eyes Scorpius merely had to tighten its grip to stop Fidchell dead in his tracks. There was an ominous laugh from Aihane as Corbenik lifted his arm, data forming around it as he prepared his Data Drain attack. "You've fought rather valiantly Yata but I'm afraid that it's all to no avail," the hacker sneered at him as Fidchell continued to struggle in Scorpius' impassive grip. "This fight is over and I have won the match. But don't worry…I promise that I'll take _good_ care of your precious Avatar," Aihane assured him mockingly as Corbenik continued gathering as much power as he possibly could.

The AIDA slowly arched its back, raising its tail. The segmented armor on the end snapped backwards to expose the sharp needle that could delve into data and absorb it effortlessly. Slowly Scorpius tail twitched forward, setting the needle on the end into the attack position.

Slowly Fidchell lifted his head and stared off into the distance as if seeing something that no one else could perceive. Then carefully he began to speak, his deep bass voice distant and remote as he prophesied.

_Thine little children seek to protect thine home, but to no benefit. Thou power art defeated and thou who reeks of death shalt be torn from his master. His mind and body intertwined with one of thine shards of darkness. Thou powers shalt be fused and thine minds tainted, corrupted, and lost for a time, and thus thine who reeks of death shalt become one with the shard. And thou death bringer shalt then return to thine master and creator, never to be torn away from him again, _Fidchell rumbled cryptically.

The Avatar didn't hesitate but instead continued on fluidly, _And as thine happens to thou who brings death, several of thine little children will be captured, thine others flung away from the heartland by thine dark one who controls the many shards of darkness. Thine dark one then captures the knights clad in azure who protect the bright and untainted sun. Then even thy sun dost fall to thine dark one, and thou dost use her power to bridge thine gap between thy outlying lands and thine heavens, _Fidchell spoke, and Scorpius actually tilted its head slightly, as if it were actually paying attention.

Despite the hopeless situation Yata couldn't help but be fascinated by this prophecy. What did it mean? What was going to happen? After all Fidchell's last prediction had come true in time and this one too didn't seem to bode well for The World, or those in it. The metaphors seemed a bit vague but that was no surprise to him.

Fidchell closed his eyes and continued, _Both thy earth and thou heavens dost fall to thine dark one and plunge into despair, with many of thy shards of darkness being cast off and forgotten, while others art kept in bondage. But thou great warrior who reeks of death shalt cut through with a burning, holy light, pushing away thy oppressive night and bringing thine little children together for battle once again._

_Thou bringer of death shalt go ahead, slaying all who dare oppose his power, and his master is thine who gathers again thou many shards of darkness, freeing them from the dark one's oppressive prison and by doing so dost gain thine eternal loyalty. And thou who bridged thou gap between earth and heaven was plunged into thine eternal abyss, where he was devoured by thou death bringer and thine shards he once enslaved, _Fidchell finally concluded as he sagged in Scorpius' iron grip.

Aihane snorted derisively at those final words, "Your prophetic babble means nothing to me. Lets see how insightful you are when your calling ME master," the hacker commented and Corbenik fired off his Data Drain attack and it connected with The Prophet just as Scorpius' tail shot forward and ran Fidchell straight through.

There was brief moment of silence before it was broken by the agonized screams of Yata and his Avatar as both Corbenik and the scorpion AIDA drained enormous amounts of data from them. Data Drain alone would have been enough to finish Fidchell off and ensure victory. But Aihane wanted much more then that, he wanted to separate User and Epitaph once and for all, severing the bond they had so painstakingly developed.

Clutching his chest tightly Yata could _feel_ something activate deep in Fidchell's body, spreading through the Epitaph and pushing him even father away as they continued to separate from one another. The Avatar's body began to come apart and split as the enormous and tightly focused amount of data flowed through Fidchell's body.

Yata knew exactly what Aihane was doing, yet he was powerless to stop it. None of his CC Corp commands worked and Fidchell was becoming more unresponsive as the seconds ticked off. The familiar voice and presence that had accompanied Yata for so long was beginning to fade away, becoming more distant and weak.

The pain that he felt, that Fidchell felt, was truly unbearable and darkness began to swim and the edges of his vision as the assault continued. The massive amount of data that was being altered within Fidchell ensured that the bond Yata and his Avatar had built was broken and rendered useless.

By getting Corbenik to use Data Drain and Scorpius to use a similar attack, Aihane was assured of the fact that nothing would go wrong. One of his servants could focus the attack on Fidchell, while the other focused on Yata himself, draining his character data directly from his Avatar. This combination guaranteed that both would be Data Drained at the same rate and would be ripped away from each other at the same time. Plus the slave device now embedded within all the Epitaphs was now running at full force as well, keeping Fidchell from fighting back.

Futilely Yata tried to resist the separation but was instead plunged into darkness. _What the…? What now? What is going on?_ he thought as the hazy form of Fidchell appeared in front of him. Slowly the Avatar lifted his hand and extended it towards his master, "Do not worry…we shalt…meet…again…some…day" Fidchell whispered before disappearing from view. Reaching out Yata tried to speak, to stop him from going, but it was already too late.

There was a hitch in the graphics of The World and an unearthly wail pierced the area, as the two were finally ripped apart. Corbenik reached out with his right hand and grabbed something before darting back, Yata's limp form in his grasp. Scorpius scuttled away as well, with Fidchell still seized in his claw.

There was an ominous cackle from Aihane as the hacker observed his work. "It worked! My plan has come to fruition! Another Epitaph is mine!" he shouted exultantly as Yata slowly managed to lift his head staring over at his former Avatar. The Prophet had gone completely limp and had actually turned a deathly pale color.

Opening his mouth slowly he tried to call out to Fidchell but could only manage a painful rasp. He felt as if his heart was going to beat straight out of his chest, and his body felt numb and wouldn't respond. Corbenik stared down at the man in his hand and seemed to hesitate for a moment before Aihane spoke up again, "Get rid of that trash, he has no more use for us anymore," came the sharp, terse order.

Clenching his fist slightly for a moment, Corbenik merely dropped his hand, allowing Yata to slide off and crash down into the earth below. Scorpius gave an undecipherable hiss before slowly turning around and crawling back down through the hole he had come out of earlier. Corbenik stared over at Yata for several long minutes, almost as if he wanted to stay, but then he too dropped down through the data rift.

The AIDA field dispersed and the normal cave dungeon reappeared around Yata, unchanged just as it had been before this battle started. He couldn't move his body and the pain in his chest only seemed to be getting worse, in the back of his mind Yata knew that he was in trouble and needed to get help. But all he could focus on was the emptiness that filled his entire being, the jagged hole where Fidchell had once been.

Slowly he clenched his fist in anger, _I failed…just like last time. I couldn't control Fidchell when he first awakened and now I've lost him for good. What good am I if I can't protect The World from those who wish to destroy it?_ Yata thought desolately. He truly did love this place; it was the only thing that he really had to look forward to in his otherwise lonely existence. But no matter how hard he tried his efforts were never enough.

With a faint exhalation Yata wince as the pain in his chest rose to new heights, tingling through his arm and legs, _I just hope…the others don't fail like I have,_ Yata considered as his eyes closed and he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

The moment Reiko Saeki had entered the CC Corp building she had known that something was wrong; she had felt it within every fiber of her being. First she had simply dismissed it and headed up the elevator to her personal office. After Cubia was taken care of and it was confirmed that AIDA was gone, Reiko had decided to take a short leave and become just a regular player again for a while.

Takumi Hino, known to most as the Guild Master Yata, had grudgingly decided to do the same after she threatened to have CC Corp discharge him for good. The man would go blind from all the time he spent staring through his M2D if she didn't stop him every once in a while.

Most had the mistaken idea that they had quit the company for good, but both Reiko and Takumi were too loyal to The World to do, or allow, such a thing. It was a place that had to be protected, if only from the very ones who had created it.

Playing as Pi while within The World was challenging and even fun most of the time, Reiko really enjoyed what she did and would never dream of changing jobs. And the fact that her paycheck was practically through the roof certainly didn't hurt either.

Still Reiko knew that she needed to spend some more time in the _real world _before she started getting Carpal Tunnel or something. Goodness knows she spent enough time making sure Takumi didn't pass out from exhaustion without worrying about herself developing health problems.

So when a feeling of worry washed over Reiko as she came through the front door she had ignored it; after all there were plenty of times when she got all worked up over Takumi only to find him hunched over his computer after working all night. In fact there were times when Reiko couldn't help but marvel at the man's endurance and ability to run on almost no sleep whatsoever. Assuming that this time was no different, she had continued to her office and proceeded to read her mail.

However the nagging feeling just refused to leave, ultimately causing Reiko to growl in frustration and get up, heading over to Takumi's office just to confirm to herself that he was fine and that she was being paranoid. But instead of soothing her worries Reiko had found him sprawled out on the floor clutching his chest in pain before going limp.

Panicking she had ripped the M2D off his head and tried to get some kind of response out of him, but to no avail. Quickly Reiko had called an ambulance and was forced to sit back and watch as Takumi was rushed by the paramedics who called out orders and other commands in their usual medical jargon before placing him on a stretcher and speeding off to the hospital.

Reiko had followed the ambulance and upon arrival had been drilled for information about Takumi. Did he have any allergies? Did she know about any other health problems that he might have? And so forth. After this she had sat in the emergency room by herself, forced to wait around for information seeing as she wasn't a close family member or related to Takumi in any other way.

Things stayed that way for a couple hours until finally a nurse came and guided her to where Takumi was resting. They had finally managed to get him into a room of his own so he could rest in peace.

And now…now she stood just outside the door staring in at the bed where Takumi was lying. They were giving him oxygen through his nose and various IV's were hooked up to his arms. Most prominent was the heart monitor, beeping in a steady rhythm. Not having noticed her presence, the doctor merely continued taking notes on a clipboard that was in his hand.

_Your not going to learn anything by standing here gaping at him,_ Reiko chided, shaking her head and taking a deep breath before stepping forward and into the room. Hearing her footsteps the doctor looked up and smiled kindly as he put his pen away. "Hello there, my name is Taiga and you must be Reiko Saeki, his coworker…am I right?" he asked gently and after a moment of hesitation she nodded in confirmation.

Reiko looked back over at Takumi who seemed to be fast asleep, but she had learned long ago that appearances could be deceiving. Clearing his throat to help get rid of some of the awkward silence, Taiga motioned to the monitor, "Although I can't tell you too much, I _can_ say that Takumi has had a heart attack" he revealed and Reiko felt as if she had been punched in the gut.

She closed her eyes in despair at that piece of news. Quickly Taiga hurried on so as to reassure her somewhat, "Not from any underlying health problems I assure you. He's perfectly healthy so it's more than likely that this heart attack was brought on by stress. From what you've told us I'm guessing that he's a bit of a workaholic?" Taiga questioned, waiting patiently for an answer as Reiko digested all of this. A nod was the most she could do at the moment.

Taiga shook his head at that, "Well in a few days he should be okay again. But it's vital that he rest and not go back to work too soon, otherwise he could relapse," he explained carefully, staring at her to make sure that she was taking in everything he was saying. Reiko forced herself to smile, "I understand doctor. Thank you for your help," she said gratefully. Taiga nodded and shook her hand before heading out to take care of his other patients.

It was hard to comprehend the fact that Takumi of all people had just had a heart attack. It would be unbelievable if not for the fact that Reiko had been working right alongside him at all hours of the day for nearly two months now, so she knew the kind of stress that he had been dealing with. _But still…something else must have happened… something that has to do with The World, _she thought as she grabbed a chair pulled it over to the side of the bed.

She felt a chill slid up her spine as an idea occurred to her, _Did he encounter AIDA or Corbenik?_ Reiko thought biting her fingernail in worry. Even though it was a strong possibility, it was still one that she really didn't want to entertain. Pulling herself from her thoughts she looked back up at Takumi and was startled to see that he was awake and staring up at the ceiling.

Leaning forward Reiko grabbed the bed rail, "Takumi! Are you all right? What happened?" she asked anxiously but it was a long moment before he finally turned his head towards her, his eyes empty and full of a pain that words couldn't begin to describe. Takumi closed his eyes and sighed heavily before saying, "He's gone…we fought so hard but it still wasn't enough to stop Aihane from…" he broke off and swallowed hard, it was clear that he was remembering what happened. With a slight tremor he opened his eyes and let out a shaky breath.

Reiko felt her stomach sink as her worst fears were realized, "Did Aihane take him? Fidchell I mean?" she asked softly and after several tense seconds Takumi nodded miserably. "No matter how hard I fight…it's never enough to hold onto the things I care about…and now…another Avatar is gone…and it's only a matter of time before Aihane comes to take another one," he whispered, closing his eyes once again.

"I just…" Takumi said suddenly and then stopped as his voice hitched for a moment. "I mean compared to you and the others…I barely knew Fidchell at all…and yet…" the man shook his head, "I still feel so…_empty_ inside. Like a part of me has been taken away," Takumi finished in clear anguish.

Reiko slowly reached out and took his hand in hers, trying to comfort him in any way that he could. _What's going to happen now? It was hard enough when it was just AIDA attacking people…now our Avatars are being taken one by one and Aihane is controlling their every move. What else is there to do when our best isn't nearly enough? When we can only sit back and watch…or fight and be torn apart like this? _she considered as shewatched her friend and leader, who now seemed weaker and more powerless then ever.

_What do you do…when you've already done everything there is? And it still isn't enough to save the people and the place that you care about?_ Reiko thought squeezing his hand slightly. They were doing everything they could…but it didn't seem to be making any difference. And Takumi was right, it was only a matter of time before Aihane came after them again and the worst part was knowing that there was nothing that anybody could do to stop him.

* * *

**AN:** Now before you come at me with axes and knives let me just say that it WAS going to happen sooner or later…so _please_ be easy on me okay? (Hides behind concrete barrier as weapons fly over her head)

Yes, it took a while to get this up but there was plenty to keep you interested now wasn't there? Hope you all like the last part. Don't forget that Yata/Takumi went berserk when Sakaki took over…so how do you really think he would react to having Fidchell taken away?

(Pokes head over barrier to check for safety) Things are in full swing now and more drama will be happening to our poor Epitaph Users! Next chapter is about Endrance, and a little bit of Aihane's mysterious past is revealed! So please go down and write a review everybody!

Before I forget, bonus points go to anybody who can actually decipher Fidchell's prophecy. I know what it all means of course...but do YOU? Feel free to take a shot at it! And in the next chapter I'll let you know if anybody comes close to, or actually gets it right! Until next time everyone!


	18. Every Rose Has Its Thorns

**AN:** WOW! Thanks so much for the reviews everyone! And kudos to those who tried to decipher Fidchell's prophecy! All those who took a shot got it right more or less. Belthasar got it correct almost word for word :)

But lets not forget Tsukiyomaru, Blue.Eyes.White.Dragon.3000, and WingshadOw, they too took managed to decipher Fidchell's prophecy. And also we have to put Enygma893 in there as well for being our 100th reviewer!! –grins happily-

Hope I didn't mess up any of those names...and many thanks to everyone who reviewed! This story wouldn't be possible without your support. So please continue to review even if it is just a word or two.

Also Tsukiyomaru brought to our attention that Saku and Bo haven't really made much of an appearance in this story. Their not our favorite characters so they kind of got pushed into the background. Sorry about that everyone. We shall try our best to remedy the situation. But first comes Endrance!

This chapter is mostly about the aforementioned former Emperor, and while I did say no/fewer "filler" chapters, this particular alteration _does _play an important role in how things will develop. So henceforth I am introducing a new OC that will help the members of G.U. as they attempt to ward off Aihane's schemes.

So thank you Tsukiyomaru for your review from Chapter 16. You're comments gave us some ideas and therefore I have decided to tweak a few things and change matters a tiny bit. See there everyone? I do listen to my reviewers after all. But enough talking! Read on everybody!!

Chapter 18: Every Rose Has Its Thorns

* * *

Kaoru Ichinose pulled on a shirt before heading over and booting up his computer. Exhaustion had finally forced him to stop playing as Endrance and log out of The World so he could get a few hours of sleep. Now, though, he was well rested, cleaned up, and ready to go back online as he always did. Kaoru didn't know what time of the day it was and didn't really care; he had no reason to associate with those in the outside world anyway, so such trivial things had no bearing on his life. Being locked away online was all he needed and wanted.

Lately, though, his parents had been adding on, making Kaoru his own personal living space in the back of their house. Being a hikikomori he was in no hurry to leave home-or his room for that matter-so instead they were doing as best they could to see to it that he was at least a _little _more independent. They were also going to have him start paying rent; thanks to Kaoru's online endeavors, and careful money management, he was quite wealthy and had more then enough funds to take care of himself, so there was no reason why he couldn't start paying some rent each month.

This development had irritated him at first, but after mentioning the matter to Haseo, the Adept Rouge had told Kaoru that it was probably for the best seeing as they were all going to have to spend more time then ever inside The World. The online game was the only place where they had any leads on Aihane, and even those few trails were threadbare. As Epitaph Users they all had to work harder then ever to make sure that the hacker didn't capture any more Avatars. Aihane already had Corbenik and Fidchell; they had to stop him before he caught any more.

Besides, being more independent just meant that he would be more alone, and isolation suited Kaoru just fine. It also meant that he wouldn't have to deal with his parent's worried looks and comments about how standoffish and secluded he was. Now that Aihane had appeared Kaoru had been spending even more time then he usually did on the computer. He rarely slept and barely touched the food his mother gave him. He would eat occasionally but it was just the bare minimum, hardly enough to keep him going.

Sure Kaoru knew that she was just trying her best to help him become a well adjusted adult, but it did occasionally get on his nerves. He didn't want to get a 'real job' or go outside, there were too many expectations, too many demands, too much anxiety overall. Online he would be anyone and anything; he could be alone and escape from all of the pressure and stress that came with venturing out into the real world.

A knock at the door distracted him from his thoughts however, and a moment later the bedroom door opened slightly as his mother, Sakao, looked inside. Her lips thinned with slight displeasure when she saw that he was already getting ready to go back on the computer, but Sakao didn't bother to comment on it. The woman shifted her attention and instead smiled warmly at her son, "Kaoru dear? There's a phone call for you," she announced holding the phone out to him.

Kaoru froze for a moment at that announcement; his M2D clutched in his hands. There was a call…for _him_? Nobody online knew the number here at his parent's house, and the only offline friend he had lived in Zimbabwe, Africa. Of course since she lived so far away they communicated mostly by e-mail now. Then again she _was_ known to call at times, it was rare but not unheard of.

Slowly he turned around and stared at his mother, silently inquiring as to whom it was. His mother held it out to him, "It's Rhodesia, she sounds pretty eager to talk to you," Sakao explained, confirming Kaoru's suspicion. For a long moment he stared at her outstretched arm before reaching out for it. Sakao stepped forward and gave it to him before heading out, "I got a few new recipes off the Internet so I'll make you some breakfast okay?" she added and Kaoru nodded distractedly as he held the phone to his ear.

Rhodesia was originally born in Zimbabwe, but because of her astounding growth rate and intellect had gotten a special scholarship and transferred to a special private school here in Japan, the same one that Kaoru had placed into during his High School years. It was a unique place meant for those of 'superior intelligence' or in other words for teenagers with extremely high, almost off the chart, IQ scores. People from all over the world fought to get into the school, and after noticing their son's often-concealed intelligence, Sakao and her husband had paid to have him tested.

The results were high enough to warrant having Kaoru put into the private school and he had made it through with flying colors despite his reclusive behavior. Plus most of the kids there kept to themselves so it also helped lessen some of the stress that was on Kaoru. The strict schedule and tough work was no problem for him, it was dealing with the other teenagers that caused trouble for the young man.

So despite the fact that Rhodesia and Kaoru were complete opposites personality-wise, they held a lot of the same interests and hobbies, especially when it came to dealing with computers, so they had ultimately become good friends. She had graduated early, in only one and a half years, and then moved to Tokyo to go to College there for a little bit. She had decided to pile on the work and go for diplomas in several fields at once. Surprisingly she had done better then anyone could have expected and with the aid of online classes had finished at a remarkable rate.

After finishing up in Tokyo, Rhodesia had moved back to Africa so she could finish up the last of her degrees there. Despite the move and her busy schedule, though, Rhodesia and Kaoru still managed to keep in touch often. The young woman was the only "offline" friend that he had ever had, of course they mostly communicated through e-mail and other online sites now but that was a minor technicality.

Pulling his attention back to the matter at hand Kaoru paused for a moment, "Hello?" he asked hesitantly and received a snort in reply, "Ah come on now. Don't be telling me that you ain't taking my phone calls. I'm sure even you can tear yourself out The World for a few minutes here and then," came Rhodesia's sarcastic comment; despite the fact that she had spent a couple of years here in Japan she still had an accent and it was hard for others to understand her at times.

After a moment of silence Kaoru responded, "You rarely call," he stated flatly but his friend merely brushed that off and kept talking. "I having a place and new job in Tokyo again and I just finish moving in and unpacking everything. So hoping I was that maybe we could meet up somewhere," Rhodesia explained to him. Kaoru's immediate response was to hesitate and avoid the topic of venturing outside and into the city. Of course Rhodesia knew all about his reclusive nature as a hikikomori and how badly he wanted to avoid the outside world, so she wouldn't make this request lightly.

The African woman continued before Kaoru could make his objection, "Now I know how much you be hating the very idea of going outside but I was hoping maybe you could do it just this once for an old friend right? Besides it been a long time since we meet face to face and once I get settled with the company. I'm gonna be starting my new job at CC Corp right away so wanted to see you before it get too busy," Rhodesia explained, getting right to the point and not allowing him to make up an excuse as to why he couldn't come.

There was a long stretch of silence as Kaoru digested everything that she had just said and what she HADN'T said as well. Over the years that he had known her, Kaoru had come to realize that she could be rather cryptic when she wanted to be. After all Rhodesia had the highest degrees possible in Data Analysis, Computer Technology, Statistical Engineering, and other fields like that. They all utilized her vast intelligence and proficiency with the network so for her to be working for THAT particular company meant…Kaoru's eyes narrowed as he considered the matter.

If CC Corp had hired her then she would be working behind the scenes at the highest possible position. Better then even the most elite system admin. She would be on the same level of authority as Yata…or maybe even higher. Rhodesia was that good.

Her skills were so truly incredible that the woman had even been offered jobs by several governments and specialized agency's that had been created to watch over the network and keep hackers and viruses from destroying and taking advantage of it. She was one of those people with a job so secretive that many didn't know who she really was or what she did for a living. Of course that also meant that Rhodesia got to do as she pleased seeing as there weren't many others around who could compare with her level of skill.

So she always made time to keep in touch with her old High School friend and would often tell and/or complain to Kaoru about how things were going in her life. Despite her skills and high rank she had never forgotten him and still viewed the hikikomori as a close friend.

Besides there was no denying that she was a prodigy and a super genius with data and computers. Most people would be going to College half their lives to earn the degrees that Rhodesia had; but true to her nature the woman had floored everyone by legitimately passing and graduating in less than 6 years. Now at the age of just 22, or 23 Kaoru didn't remember which, the woman was in high demand by the wealthiest and most powerful corporations and governments in the world.

Switching his thoughts back to CC Corp Kaoru frowned slightly. When it came to owners of The World there was little chance that the company had overlooked Aihane's current actions. No doubt they were scrambling around and working all of their employees into the ground in an attempt to stop the hacker from completely destroying their business.

Kaoru leaned back in his chair as he thought, _The fact that Rhodesia has been hired by CC Corp means that the problem is more extensive then any of us could have imagined. Aihane is no ordinary hacker, and if they've brought HER of all people in…then the whole network is in more danger then we originally considered, _Kaoru reflected seriously as he thought back on that time several years ago when he had helped Kite fight off Morganna and her Eight Phases for the first time.

Now that he was older, though, he could fully appreciated how much danger they had really been in, but at the time they didn't have a choice and the same was true now. If they didn't stop Aihane now then he could gain control of Aura, and if he captured her…then there was no one in the world who was smart or advanced enough to bring her down. The AI was just too strong and after all these years was deeply intertwined with The World and the rest of the network. Destroy Aura and the entire world system might go down with her.

A voice interrupted his thoughts though, "Uh…hello? Still there we are?" Rhodesia asked bringing his attention back to her. Kaoru was silent for just a moment longer before speaking up, "Can I think about this?" he asked his mind already spinning with ideas and possible implications. This was serious. He had to tell the others. Rhodesia chuckled, "See? I knowing you would _understand_," she hinted, strongly emphasizing the word but not giving away too much.

The recluse narrowed his eyes slightly at that subtle insinuation, if she was working for CC Corp then they no doubt would have filled her in on EVERYTHING. _She must already know about the Avatars and Project G.U.,_ Kaoru realized as he gripped the phone tighter. Finally he said, "I take it we're all…_caught up_ then?" he asked carefully and he could almost hear the resulting smile in his friend's voice.

Rhodesia seemed quite smug at the moment as she continued, "Oh yes_,_ CC Corp having made sure to bring me up-to-date on _everything_. I be in The World later on, maybe we seeing each other then hunh?" Rhodesia added warmly and suddenly an idea popped into Kaoru's head. He spoke up before she could hang up, "Wait…" he said quickly and there was a bit of shuffling on Rhodesia's end, "Make your decision already did we? Here I think you would keep me for a while," she commented cheerfully sounding quite proud of herself.

Kaoru grunted disdainfully at that comment, "Hardly. I was thinking that we could meet up inside the game. I think it would be best if you could talk to the other Epitaph Users and tell them more about the situation. There's a secure area that I can take you to," he offered and Rhodesia was silent for a moment. "Don't be seeing why not. Is good to see the place I'll be trying to save. See you there in a few minutes then?" she asked and Kaoru mumbled a 'yes' in confirmation before Rhodesia hung up.

The reclusive young man pulled the phone back and stared at it for a moment before setting it aside and staring at his computer, which had switched to a screen saver. Kaoru narrowed his eyes as he thought about what had just happened. He was actually kind of happy to hear from Rhodesia, she was one of the few friends that he had after all, but still her careful hints bothered him. _It would seem that Aihane is more dangerous then we previously thought…just who IS he anyway? How is it that he's able to control the Avatars when even CC Corp can't keep them under wraps?_ Kaoru thought as he put his M2D over his eyes and logged into the world.

He had to call the other members of G.U. so they could meet Rhodesia personally. Having her inside CC Corp showed how desperate the situation was becoming, but it was also a relief to have a connection to someone of her skill level. If anyone could help them get more leads on what Aihane was doing it would be her. _I just hope we're not too late. We can't afford to lose any more Epitaphs,_ he considered opening his eyes as Endrance and feeling Macha's warm welcome.

* * *

All the members of G.U., minus Yata who was still out of commission, were gathered together on the bridge of Tartarga staring at Endrance…well not at him exactly, but rather at the person who was beside him. The female Flick Reaper was dressed in a black tank top and pants that had light blue lightning-like streaks running up the sides, she also wore a long jet-black trench coat with the same blue designs around the bottom and sleeves. Her skin was dark and her eyes a warm honey brown. The PC's straight black hair was in braids and hung down to the middle of her back.

The name this scythe wielding, black wearing PC bore was Ambrosia; her eyes slowly took in all of the sights around her, resting on one thing for a moment before moving on and examining something else. Ambrosia stood calmly next to Endrance as all of the other Epitaph users stared at the two. Saku for her part was glaring daggers at the woman as if her gaze alone would set her on fire.

Pi narrowed her eyes with suspicion and even a little anger, "Endrance…what is the meaning of this? You know that only a select few are allowed here. Net Slum is off limits to normal players. SHE shouldn't be here," she said hotly; ever since Fidchell had been stolen a week ago the Tribal Grappler had been on edge and more temperamental then usual. Everyone knew that it was because she was worried about Takumi, AKA Yata, but they didn't comment on it and instead just did as she ordered them to.

Saku pointed a finger accusingly at Ambrosia, "Master En belongs to me! Don't think that you can just show up here with no problems like this!" she shrieked angrily, "We got enough trouble to deal with without outsiders popping up in here! You'd better state your business before I get really angry!" Saku demanded, furious at the fact that someone other then her was standing so close to Endrance.

Slowly Ambrosia turned her attention back to the other players and gave a smug, almost arrogant smirk as Endrance spoke up, "This is Ambrosia, her real name is Rhodesia and she is currently an employee at CC Corp. She has been hired to take care of the Aihane situation," he explained holding a hand out in her direction as Saku continued glaring. Pi immediately seemed surprised and then her lips thinned with irritation as she adjusted her glasses, "That's impossible," she refused flatly, "I would have been made aware of such a change," she said stiffly and Ambrosia shifted her attention.

Eyeing the woman slowly the Flick Reaper spoke up going slowly, "_Name:_ Reiko Saeki. _Age:_ 24 years old. _Player Character Name:_ Pi. _Class:_ Tribal Grappler. Full-time CC Corp employee, is in close association with Takumi Hino and both are Class 10 system administrators in charge of Serpent of Lore," Ambrosia spewed out the facts calmly and Pi actually paled and her eyes widened at this information. The dark clad PC tilted her head slightly, "Avatar…is Tarvos," she added lastly catching everyone's full attention.

Haseo crossed his arms at that, "I guess you know pretty much everything about everyone of us…am I right?" he asked calmly and Ambrosia nodded as she examined her nails, "See someone been paying attention to me. Was called in to help remedy situation here in The World, been knowing Kaoru a long time so he think it best I come talk to you directly. Not be doing well on your own I see here," she said pleasantly, speeding up now that she was talking as she normally would. Pi for her part merely stared in shock at the fact that this newcomer knew so much about her.

Of course because of Ambrosia/Rhodesia's thick accent and the fact that she had never quite been able to master Japanese, none of the others could understand much of what she had just said and could only stare blankly at her. Saku made a face, "Hunh? I didn't catch any of that. Where are you from anyway? Some place out in the sticks?" she questioned with an obvious sneer.

Ambrosia scowled immediately, bristling with indignation. "Hey! From big city in Zimbabwe I am! I have you know that I be going to some of the top schools in the world and right here in Japan too! Be knowing more about computers and data then you ever will little girl!" the Flick Reaper fired back and Saku snarled at that insult.

The Shadow Warlock was nearly spouting steam, "Little girl? Little GIRL! Why don't I summon Gorre and teach you how LITTLE I really am!" Saku roared furiously her quick temper once again getting the best of her. Ambrosia sneered, "You hear insults well enough don't you?" she fired off before Atoli interrupted, "Please stop arguing!" she shouted and both players crossed their arms and looked away, Saku with an indignant huff.

Endrance waited calmly until both women were silent before continuing, "Since she's a friend of mind I thought that we could use her help. She'll be able to tell us what's really going on with CC Corp, because as we know they aren't entirely honest, and we can't afford to lose any more Avatars," he told them all and Kuhn nodded in agreement with that statement, "I think it's a good idea to have someone else on the inside. It's not like they ever bother to tell US anything after all," he said in agreement before Pi turned on the man as if he had betrayed her somehow.

Quickly Kuhn put his hands up and shrank away from her rage, "Aww come on! Don't be so angry Pi!" he said quickly to try and make up for his comment. "I mean the more help we have the quicker we'll be able to get Corbenik and Fidchell back right? If we really want to help Yata then we need everyone and anyone who knows about this situation," Kuhn was trying his best to pacify the temperamental woman before she could hit him or something. He even threw in a smiley emoticon.

The reminder of Yata's situation seemed to calm Pi somewhat and she grunted and looked away but she wasn't just going to leave things at that and turned back to Ambrosia with a suspicious look still on her face, "What's your class and rank?" she demanded harshly and Ambrosia lifted her chin, "Class 12, Rank 6. Also Division Omega," she replied and Pi gasped at that. "Omega?! But I thought that was just…but that mean's your…" she broke off in clear surprise and shook her head.

Haseo wrinkled his nose, none of that made sense to him, "What does all that mean anyway? Just who ARE you?" he questioned finally and Pi turned to him with a serious look on her face. "Division Omega is a special, separate unit that operates from within CC Corp and reports directly to the Japanese government. Even the President can't order them around; in fact he basically has to do whatever they tell him. Don't forget that The World was the first online game created after the Pluto's Kiss incident," she reminded them and everyone nodded. Everyone knew about that day when the Internet had actually shut down completely.

Seeing that they were all paying attention Pi went on, "The higher ups wanted to make sure that their new business venture couldn't be used to access the personal information of other players and possibly secure facilities, especially seeing as it was an overnight sensation around the planet; they had to make sure that nobody would use The World to try and crash the network again. Often a hacker will sign up for an MMO and then operate from within to steal data from others. It's and extremely effective method and nearly impossible to stop," Pi told them grimly as she crossed her arms.

Saku scowled, "So Aihane could be INSIDE The World causing all of this trouble? But there are thousands if not millions of people logging on every day! He could be anyone at anytime!" she complained and Haseo nodded in understanding as he looked over at Pi, "And a person isn't limited to having just one character or account. Take down one PC and he may have a dozen others in the background waiting to be used," the Adept Rouge stated, angrily clenching his fists.

Kuhn rubbed his neck uneasily, "And he's probably working from the outside as well some times. There's just no way to tell where he is or from what place he's going to strike next. Of course that's why this Division Omega was put together, to keep hackers, cheats, and thieves from ruining this place," he added with a helpless shrug.

Ambrosia nodded her face stern, "Be a problem with that though. Aihane not be just here anymore, AIDA be showing up in online games around the planet lately; that why Division Omega is hiring as many people as can be paid. No one can stop this guy and he impossible to trace. Most activity though is centered here in The World so they thinking it best to try and stop him here where it all began. Hackers, analysts, and others from all over is working to find a way to bring him down. Besides, if Aihane get hold of Aura she be strong enough to control even the most secure government networks and military facilities," Ambrosia finished up calmly and waited to make sure that everyone had understood her.

Atoli clasped her hands together, "Just like when Cubia awakened…nuclear reactors all over the world were on the verge of meltdown," she put in worriedly and everyone was silent for a moment as they remembered those hectic moments and how scared they were as they wondered if they would be able to stop Cubia in time.

Pi grimaced at the thought of a Fourth Network crisis, hadn't the first time been bad enough? "Aura…" she began slowly, "Is stronger then Cubia could ever be. But sometime during the years when R:1 was in place Aura was lost. Nobody knows how or why though," she added with a slight frown before moving on.

Shaking her head Pi continued, "That's why Project G.U. was created and the Restore Aura or 'R.A. plan put into effect. The World just wasn't the same without her. It had lost that vital spark that made it so popular. When Aura was finally found it was discovered that she had reverted to a more dormant state to protect herself, from what though they weren't entirely sure," she told them and everyone nodded in understanding.

Seeing that they were all getting this Pi turned to look out of the broad windows. "Of course while she was protecting on the other hand it's because of this strange dormant state that Aura has less control over what happens around her. In a sense you could say that she's been chained down; all of her power is still there, she just can't us it as freely as she once could. The World is better then ever…but its 'Goddess' is almost powerless" Pi added thoughtfully as she considered Aihane's intentions and everything that she knew from the past. Something tingled her senses but she couldn't figure out what it was exactly.

Endrance turned to the CC Corp employee, "Exactly. That's why the Azure Knights exist. Aura knew that she couldn't do anything herself, so she created Kite, Balmung, and Orca within the game so that if anything were to happen they would be able to deal with the problem. But the fact that Aura couldn't exercise her full abilities meant that they ended up somewhat incomplete, they are only now starting to approach their full growth. Otherwise they would have been able to deal with AIDA by themselves and without our help," he concluded and Ambrosia smiled at him.

The Flick Reaper slapped him on the back, nearly knocking the man over, "See? I knew you understand what I mean. So I'll see you offline in few days right?" she said and Endrance opened his mouth to say something but the woman cut him off, "Good! Free Saturday the May 5 I am, so we meet up that morning then. The end of next week it is so e-mail me later so I know where to go!" Ambrosia said cheerfully before logging off in a swirl of blue light.

Of course that left Endrance standing there staring blankly at where his friend had just been standing. Kuhn stretched, "Well I think I've had enough excitement for one day. This information will keep my head spinning for a while. Later everyone!" he said cheerfully before logging off as well. Saku muttered irritably to herself before doing the same. Pi turned and called up several screens, immediately going to work.

Haseo, Atoli, and Endrance headed out into the streets of Net Slum however. The Blade Brandier seemed a bit upset and turned to Haseo, "Will you come with me?" he asked hopefully, catching the teenager off guard. For a moment the Adept Rouge didn't know what Endrance meant by that, finally it clicked though, "Go with…you mean go with you to meet up with Ambrosia, Rhodesia…whatever her name was?" Haseo questioned hesitantly as Atoli walked up beside him.

Endrance nodded in confirmation before looking away, "I don't want to go outside…but I know that there are things that can't be discussed online. It would be good to talk face-to-face with her but…I don't want to go out there by myself…I don't like being around so many other people," he commented apprehensively at just the thought of going out to Tokyo, it was a fair distance from where he lived after all.

Muttering something to himself Haseo sighed, "Well…I don't see why not. Sure what the heck, I'll come along with you for the day to meet up with her Endrance. Can't be that bad right?" he decided with a simple shrug. Endrance was…well a bit odd to say the least, but he really wasn't THAT bad to be around, and they _were_ friends after all. Plus they were all stressed out and if his being around helped out a little then Haseo figured that it wasn't really that big of a deal really.

Atoli considered that for a moment before nodding to herself, "She did say May 5th right? Well my parent's are going to be out of town that week and for a few days after so I'll be able to come too. They'll be on a cruise ship and they're letting me stay home by myself," she explained happily as she turned to Endrance, "That is if you don't mind my tagging along with you that is," Atoli offered and he stared at her for a moment in apparent surprise.

Snapping out of his daze Endrance frowned slightly, "You…you don't mind being around me?" he asked curiously and Atoli shook her head, "Of course I don't! Haseo isn't the only friend that you have here in The World you know. I would be happy to help you in any way that I can. All you have to do is ask," the Harvest Cleric assured him and Endrance nodded at that statement, "…thank you," he whispered gratefully and Atoli merely smiled at that before turning to Haseo, "I have to go now but why don't we talk more about this later okay?" she asked and he grunted in agreement and Endrance hummed at that before she logged out, moments later they followed suit.

* * *

**AN:** So how did you like that? It was more "mentally" stimulating then the last chapter but still plenty to for all of you to chew on. I hope you enjoyed it all! Rhodesia is an OC and will be a recurring character from here on out. Her online PC is named Ambrosia and she's not afraid to speak her mind. Endrance does seem to attract domineering people to him doesn't he? First Mia, then Saku and Haseo, now Rhodesia.

But enough of that. Once again thank you for all of the reviews! I never thought that this little idea of mine would become so popular! Next chapter, though, Ryou, Chigusa, Kaoru, and Rhodesia meet up in the real world and you'll see how far Aihane's dark grip has REALLY gone.

So review and tell me what you thing of this chapter! Next one shall be up ASAP! Plus I now have new story up under Kingdom Hearts entitled _Forbidden Light,_ so feel free to go over and take a look at it. :)

And Thanks a million to Belthasar for pointing out our mistake about when Aura actually 'disappeared' it has been corrected.


	19. Kiss of Death Part I

**AN: **Wow! Over 100 reviews and nearly 10,000 hits for this story! And that's not counting all of the Favs and Story Alerts. I am not worthy!! (Begins crying tears of joy)

(clears throat) Ahem, anyway I wanted to take the time to bring to your attention an error I made. Belthasar was the one who brought it to my attention and I have now corrected the mistake. Last time in Chapter 18 I wrote that Aura had vanished after R:1 was destroyed/went offline. This is an error because she disappeared sometime during R:1, after .hack/Legend of the Twilight. So for those of you who don't feel like going back and looking the whole chapter, this is basically gist of what Pi said:

"_Aura…is stronger then Cubia could ever be. But sometime during the years when R:1 was in place Aura was lost. Nobody knows how or why though. That's why Project G.U. was created and the Restore Aura or 'R.A. plan put into effect. The World just wasn't the same without her. It had lost that vital spark that made it so popular. When Aura was finally found it was discovered that she had reverted to a more dormant state to protect herself, from what though they weren't entirely sure."_

The last part about Aura becoming dormant to protect herself is our personal idea. I just threw it in there and fused it all together. Hope that clears a few things up for you all So if anybody ever has any questions about something in the story then feel free to send a Private Message (PM) about it and I shall do my best to answer you, okay? Feel free, I don't bite!

Now onward to the story! Sorry to take so long but I have been overflowing with ideas and haven't been able to get to a computer for a couple of days. So hang on everybody because this is what I am calling the _Kiss of Death_ arc. A roller coaster ride of events is about to take place for Ryou and Chigusa and I'm sure your ALL going to be surprised with how things turn out. This is going to move fast so I hope you all enjoy it! All of you fellow HaseoxAtoli or RyouxChigusa fans out there will soon be getting plenty of fluff to feast your eyes on…but not much just yet. Now on with the story!!

Chapter 19: Kiss of Death Part I

* * *

Ryou had encountered a slight problem. You see lately the Terror of Death had been venturing outside of The World and exploring other places on the Internet. Skeith may be tied to the character Haseo but that didn't mean the Avatar just sat around twiddling his thumbs for hours at a time while his user was at school or work. No instead the Epitaph had taken it upon himself to "explore" the realms outside of the online game if you will. Now Skeith spent most of his time examining different TV stations and web sites so he could gather more information about the _real_ world.

A favorite of Skeith's were online bookstores where you could download entire volumes on any subject imaginable; it only took a couple seconds for the Epitaph to drain and absorb all of the information into his numerical mind before moving on to something else that interested him. He was wandering the network in all different directions and clearly enjoying himself in the process.

Of course when the Avatar downloaded something he instantly understood it perfectly and unfortunately that would often lead to him asking questions that Ryou could hardly understand, much less answer. It was actually somewhat disconcerting for the teen as he quickly came to realize that his Epitaph was smarter then he was, and far more adept at manipulating computers and data as well.

Still the whole matter of how Skeith had made it outside of the online game and onto his personal computer system in the first place was a mystery in and of itself, but when Ryou thought about the matter it wasn't that big of a surprise really. At the rate that the Avatar's intelligence and data hacking skills were developing, it was really only a matter of time before he, and all of the others, became more curious and started venturing outside of their "home". CC Corp couldn't control them before during Project G.U., and now that they had developed so much farther it was impossible to keep them in check.

So all of that led up to Ryou's problem, Skeith was downloading so much information onto his personal computer that the expensive top-of-the-line machine that the teenager had spent _months_ saving up for was actually starting to slow down and had problems running properly. Even now the screen was filled with images from some health channel as Skeith watched TV online.

In reality Ryou didn't mind if the Terror of Death used his computer to sate his almost boundless curiosity, but slowing the whole machine down with useless junk was another matter. How many volumes on Aeronautical Engineering, Astrology, and of all things Childbirth, did the Avatar need to look at anyway?

At the moment Ryou was in the bathroom trying to tame his sleep-matted hair into some semblance of order in preparation for the day ahead of him. He couldn't wait to see Chigusa again; sure they spent almost all of their free time either together in The World, or talking for hours on their cell phones, but it was still exciting to know that he was really going to see her in person.

Lately their relationship had been growing in leaps and bounds and it had long since become obvious to everyone in The World that they were dating now. Most found the relationship "cute" but there were plenty of disappointed fangirls to go around as well. Still…meeting Kaoru and, what was her real name again? Oh, right and Rhodesia as well would no doubt be an interesting experience. Ryou was curious to see how much information she would be able to give them on Aihane and the stolen Epitaphs, because the Guild certainly wasn't doing very well on its own.

His thoughts were interrupted by sounds of agonized screaming from his bedroom. Jumping in surprise Ryou threw open the door to figure out what was going on now. "What the…?" he questioned looking around only to find that, once again, it was something that Skeith was watching online. With an aggravated scowl Ryou looked closer at the screen and found that his Avatar was watching some show on childbirth…again.

Skeith existed entirely online of course and was at the moment fascinated with the whole process of bringing another life into existence; sure it WAS interesting and all but it also led to some rather embarrassing questions. The most mortifying of which being, "Where do human babies come from anyway?" to which Ryou had promptly turned candy apple red and then stammered around until finally telling his Avatar to look it up on the Internet.

Of course the teenager knew in detail how the whole conception, to development, to birth process worked; he had learned about it in school, but he wasn't about to explain the matter to his curious Epitaph. Skeith had asked the question quite innocently but was now reveling in his User's squeamish behavior when it came to the subject.

With a disgusted look Ryou frowned as he watched the mother who was giving birth to twins. Running a hand through his hair the teen leaned back in the bathroom and put his brush away; this would have to do for now. Coming back out Ryou sat down on his bed and pulled some socks on his feet, "Can't you watch something else? Like the news or something? I'm trying to get ready and your not helping me concentrate," he grumbled at his Epitaph as he reached over to get his shoes.

There was a derisive snort as Skeith's deep voice responded to that comment over the computer's speakers, "It's a natural part of you human's life isn't it? I don't understand why you all are so squeamish about the whole thing," the Avatar sneered at him. "Besides you didn't see the first brat the lady had to pop out. That one wasn't positioned properly so the Nurse had to go in with her hand and…" Skeith began ready to launch into a full-length explanation of what had happened.

Sickened, Ryou made a face at that and quickly waved him off, though, "All right, all right! I get the picture! I don't need any more images, I know how it all works thank you very much," he said turning away from the screen, which was getting a little too graphic for his taste. If Skeith could grin then he certainly would be doing so now, "Feh…your such a pansy," the AI responded before going back to his show.

Bending over the teen gave Shira an affectionate rub before standing up and nudging the growing feline away gently with his foot so that she wouldn't get stepped on accidentally. With a slightly insulted sniff the kitten's tail twitched and she held her head high as she calmly strode out of the room. Ryou grabbed his keys, cell phone, and wallet off the dresser before turning back to his computer, apparently the show was over and now several screens had popped up as Skeith ran through and absorbed data from some programs that he had downloaded previously.

Ryou frowned darkly at that sight, it seemed like his computer was running 24 hours a day now. If Skeith kept this up then his utility bill would be through the roof. Coming to a decision Ryou finally said, "Would you hurry up and get that junk off my computer already? You're slowing everything down," he said strictly finally having had enough of getting up in the middle of the night only to find that his computer was still running at top speed as Skeith manipulated the machine.

The Avatar protested immediately to this demand, "No way! I haven't finished Data Draining all of the information yet!" he tersely objected even as the computer screen continued to flash with various screens and images. Ryou scowled at that response but refused to budge, "You've used up all my memory! You're even slowing my cell phone down with all of your downloading!" he shouted in clear irritation and Skeith grunted and brushed that off, "So…what's your point there brat?" the AI questioned with fake innocence, not slowing down his data gathering in the least.

Growling angrily Ryou crossed his arms, "OFF Skeith…_all_ of it. The minute you finish with something I want it off that machine understand? No if, ands, buts, whys, or maybes," he warned, his stance unwavering. The Avatar gave a snarl at that before muttering to himself. This would not doubt go on for a long while but in the end the Avatar _would_ do as he was told. Skeith and Ryou had plenty of arguments but when it really came down to it, the Epitaph DID obey his chosen master.

Before Ryou could head out, though, Skeith piped up again in a mischievous tone of voice, not letting his User get off so easily, "So…going to see your _girlfriend_ today? Try and keep those hormones of yours in check, the last thing I need is a little brat of yours running around," he asked laughing hysterically to himself even as the teenager's face turned the deepest shade of red possible for a human being.

Horrified it took a second before a coherent response could be formed in Ryou's mind, "What…I…that's not…I would never…_SKEITH_!" he finally got out, though he was obviously more embarrassed then angry. Shaking his head Ryou stalked out of the room, the AI's laughter following him the whole time as he shut and locked the door. Sometimes having the Avatar around was more trouble then it was worth. _I swear it's like having a three-year-old in the house. Leave him alone for a second and he racks up a bill that even Bill Gates would have had trouble paying for, _Ryou considered irritably as he shook his head.

Heading out of the building Ryou looked up to see that the sky was cloudy and overcast; for once the weather report was accurate about the chance of rain. But at least he had brought a small umbrella just in case something like that did happen. Pulling his coat tighter Ryou took out his car keys and walked over to his new car, _There is no way it should be this cold in May, _he considered with a slight shiver as the wind blasted by him. Quickly he unlocked the door and slid into the driver's seat.

Okay, so the vehicle was not exactly "new" per say; it was about 5 years old and his parents had given it to him as a graduation gift. Ryou still had 3 weeks to go until he finished school, but they had gotten it for him anyway because of his good grades. It certainly hadn't been easy juggling school, work, and The World but he had managed in the end, the last thing he needed was to have his grades slip and be unable to graduate.

So the vehicle they had gotten him was a small jet-black SUV, one of those hybrid-electric things; apparently his mother wanted her "baby" to be safe and wanted something a bit larger then a car for him, but at the same time wouldn't cost so much to take care of. It was all paid for so Ryou didn't have any extra bills. It may not be the newest or hottest car on the market, but it had everything that one could possibly need, and he didn't have a car payment to take care of each month either, which was a major plus.

Clicking his seat belt into place Ryou turned the ignition, put the SUV in gear and carefully pulled out onto the street. He had to pick Chigusa and Kaoru up at the station before heading over to the CC Corp building to meet up with Rhodesia. She wanted to show them around the huge business before they went off for lunch. Ryou frowned slightly at that thought; _I wonder what she wants to tell us? I mean it's a given that the CC Corp higher ups are going to do everything they can to get the Epitaphs back, _he considered as he headed down the streets and towards the train station.

He frowned slightly as he considered the matter; _Skeith and the others are free ranging AI's that can't be controlled by anyone or anything. If you don't count whatever Aihane is doing to them that is. It seems like the more information they absorb the more intelligent they become, and not just about the real world. It's like they learn how to manipulate data and completely change computer files or security programs to do whatever they want as well, _Ryou thought as he stopped at a red light.

Thinking back he remembered that day in the Canard Home when Skeith had so easily and fluidly changed the look of the area to suit his own tastes. It took most hackers weeks and oftentimes months just to change the look or abilities of their personal PC's, making them stronger or faster, or creating high level weapons that were not a part of the normal system, but even then they were always caught and removed from the game. Yet in a matter of minutes the Terror of Death had gone in and changed an online game that had just as much, if not more, security then most military facilities. In fact the administrators still couldn't put the area back the way it was supposed to be.

_And Aura is even stronger the Epitaphs are…if Aihane gets a hold of her then there's no telling what he'll be able to do. Military arsenals from around the world will be at his fingertips; nuclear power plants could be reprogrammed to meltdown like they almost did during the whole Cubia incident; airplanes, cars, cruise ships, battleships, submarines, tanks, jets…almost everything in today's world is connected to the Internet somehow. The fact that most businesses have their own private network wouldn't mean anything to a hacker of Aihane's level, _Ryou realized and his hands tightened on the steering wheel as he realized how serious this situation was.

A loud honk behind him quickly brought his attention back to the road and he realized that he had arrived at the station already. Shaking his head Ryou focused on his driving as he rode around looking for a place to park. When he finally found a close enough spot the teen parked his vehicle and jumped out; walking towards the station building he couldn't help but watch the other people heading down the street to various shops or restaurants.

Teenagers were on their cell phones, businessmen and women were on their PDA's or some other high-tech machine, and almost every car had a GPS device that was hooked up to the network. _Aihane could control EVERYTHING if he got a hold of the Avatars alone. If he then uses them to subdue the Azure Knights and Aura as well…then there won't be a person in the entire world who will be able to stand in his way, _Ryou considered darkly as he headed inside to find Chigusa and Kaoru.

* * *

Chigusa was at the Tokyo train station waiting for Ryou to come and pick her up. Kaoru Ichinose was supposed to be around here somewhere as well, but she figured that it would be best to wait around in one spot until Ryou came and then they could go look for the reticent youth from there. The young woman was nearly buzzing with excitement and couldn't help but fidget as she waited on the bench for him, _I'm really going to see Ryou again, _she thought tapping her foot impatiently.

It felt _so_ good to get out of the house and have her parents away on a cruise for a few days. Lately her mom and dad hadn't exactly been getting along, they fought at nearly every opportunity and it was stressing Chigusa to her breaking point. She had enough emotional trouble and drama with her parent's as it was without them going at each other's throats like they were now.

Chigusa couldn't help but glance down at her arms, currently covered by long sleeves as usual. With a heavy sigh she turned away and watched people hustle about as they headed off to their destinations, but it didn't provide much of a distraction. For a while after the whole Cubia incident she had been able to stop cutting herself, mostly thanks to her growing relationship with Ryou, but everything that had been going on in The World lately, in school, and at home lately had put Chigusa under _a lot _of pressure.

The tipping point, though, was all of the fighting her parents were doing now; sure they hadn't exactly been supportive or kind to her in the first place, but hearing them screaming all the time wasn't easy for _any_ teenager to take. Plus Chigusa could tell that it was only a matter of time before her mom and dad ended up divorced. This cruise they were currently on was kind of like a last ditch effort to save their crumbling marriage. Still the young woman seriously doubted that things would work out; great...just another thing added to her already huge pile of worries.

Frowning slightly she shook her head at that train of thought, _Cut it out already would you? Your just going to depress yourself, _Chigusa told herself as she firmly pushed all of those negative thoughts away to the back of her mind. Today she was here to meet up with Ryou and Kaoru so they could talk to Rhodesia about the problems with Aihane and AIDA, anything else could wait until later. There were far more important things to worry about then just her personal problems; the lives of people all over the real world were in danger and it was up to them to do something about it.

Chigusa was partially distracted by her thoughts so it took a moment before she noticed that someone was standing over her. "Well someone is thinking awfully hard about something aren't they?" a familiar, and distinctly male voice, questioned with hint of amusement. Quickly she looked up to find Ryou standing over her with a slight smirk on his face. He was wearing a black coat over a jet-black and crimson red t-shirt and he had midnight blue jeans on as well. Apparently the "Terror of Death" style carried over to his personal tastes as well, not that Chigusa was complaining or anything though, in fact she rather liked it.

Tilting his head, Ryou's smirk grew slightly as she stared up at him in surprise; "Yo" he greeted simply and Chigusa jumped up from her seat and threw her arms around his neck nearly knocking him off balance. He grunted and was forced to take a slight step back as she hugged him enthusiastically, "Ryou! You're here! It's so good to see you again!" she chirped happily as his arms slid around her waist, returning her warm embrace. Since she didn't seem keen on moving at the moment he had to speak to her shoulder, "Really? I couldn't tell," Ryou commented with mock sarcasm as Chigusa pulled back to look at him, her eyes lit with joy and a smile on her face.

Unexpectedly, though, Ryou frowned at her and Chigusa raised an eyebrow at his reaction, "What? Is something wrong?" she asked wondering what had caused his sudden change in attitude. Instead of responding he remained silent; his eyes narrowed and his lips thinned as he stared at her; it was almost as if he were searching for something. Ryou was just starting to worry her when he finally spoke up again in response to her question. "Are you okay?" he said suddenly and she faltered for a moment before responding with, "What do you mean? I'm…" Chigusa couldn't help but hesitate as she thought about everything that had been piling up on her lately.

Unsure of how to respond to that she let her hands drop down from his shoulders as her gaze fell from his intense eyes, "I've…just been under a lot of stress lately," she admitted softly but Ryou knew her better then that and immediately his frown deepened. Chigusa stiffened slightly suddenly wanting to get away and avoid the subject, but the teen wasn't letting her off the hook that easily and his arms tightened around her waist so that she couldn't step back.

Whenever Chigusa started trying to hide things from her friends then it was time to worry. If she was trying to keep something from _him_ then it was a _major_ cause for alarm, and both of them knew it.

A scowl firmly in place Ryou continued, "Chigusa…" he said in a reproachful tone that spoke volumes. She could tell that he knew she wasn't telling him the entire truth. Wincing slightly at that single word, her fingers nervously played with the zipper on his coat as she thought of something to say. When she remained quiet he spoke again, "I know that something serious is bothering you Chigusa…so why don't you just…" Ryou began trying to prod her into telling him what was wrong but her hands tightened on his coat and she looked up at him with a pleading look in her eyes.

His words died in his throat as he stared at her. The teen had never seen Chigusa so…desperate before. "Please Ryou…I've been through enough these past couple of weeks…I want to forget all of that today…so please…don't make me relive it…I don't want to remember any of that for now…I just want it all to go away," she begged him as pain welled up in her chest; she turned away as tears began to fill her eyes. The frustration and rage that her parents felt towards each other was always at a constant boil, and if they weren't fighting each other then they were directing their vile words towards her, tearing down her already almost nonexistent self-confidence. Hearing them scream, fight, and blow up all the time at every little inconvenience was too much. At this point having them get a divorce would be better then having to go through all of this anxiety and emotional pain.

Then there was the problem of having to enter The World knowing that Innis, her one source of unwavering, unquestioning support could be torn away from her at any time…it was literally tearing her apart and the pain she felt had become a physical ache deep in her chest. That was why she had started cutting her arms again; it was the only way to ease the agony that was growing within her everyday.

The silence seemed to stretch forever until Ryou finally let her go. Stepping back Chigusa kept her gaze on the floor until he reached out and took her chin in his hands, forcing her to look up at him. Gazing into her eyes he chose his words carefully, "I understand that there are things you don't want to talk about…that may be too _painful_ for you to talk about…" he said cautiously as if afraid of scaring her away. "But I want you to be able to _trust_ me Chigusa…the way I've trusted you," Ryou commented tactfully, reminding her of how he had finally opened up about his feelings and his past history with Skeith. It certainly hadn't been easy to talk about all of that, but in the end he was glad that he did.

When she opened her mouth to speak he shook his head, "I'm not saying you need to spill your guts to me right here and now…just consider what I said for a while…okay?" Ryou compromised and Chigusa sighed heavily and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again and smiling slightly. "Thanks…and I _will_ tell you…I just…need some time to think," she decided and he nodded in agreement before stepping back and putting his hands in his pockets.

Clearing his throat Ryou looked away; he never had been very good in emotional situations, "Well, I guess we should go find Kaoru now, he's probably waiting for us somewhere around here," he commented nodding his head towards the other end of the station. Chigusa smiled and walked beside him as they searched for the hikikomori.

* * *

Scorpius was very confused. The behavior of Corbenik and Fidchell just did not make any sense to him. CC Corp had captured them, experimented on them, and tried to force their will upon them. Even now the gaming business was trying to get the Avatar's back so they could find away to control them better. As far as those administrators were concerned the Eight Phases of Morganna were nothing more then rouge computer data that needed a bit of reprogramming. They didn't view the Avatars as being _alive_ or having feelings and thoughts of their own. All they cared about was bringing the AI's under their control so that they would have more authority over The World and thus be able to make more money; how the Epitaph's themselves felt about being used in such a manner didn't matter at all to them.

So after all that…after everything that had been done to them…_why_ did the Avatar's turn around and willingly choose to obey humans now? Why did they deliberately pick only certain players who would be able to wield their power and unquestioningly follow them? It didn't make sense; it flew in the face of reason and logic. And that brought up a different line of thought that Scorpius had been exploring as of late.

AIDA was of course interested in humans as well, but more as test subjects then anything. Its, or their, sole purpose was to gather data on emotions, and from what Scorpius had seen personally, humans were very illogical creatures, but still quite cunning nonetheless. They seemed naturally inclined towards helping one another and would go to great lengths for their friends, he had seen them make great sacrifices and give of themselves just to see others happy.

Yet when their deepest passions were enhanced and brought forth from their hearts, they became violent, dangerous, and unpredictable. They would do anything to fulfill that desire even if it meant betraying, lying, and hurting those they had previously been close to. It was all they focused on and they became entirely obsessed with whatever was important to them. It was the only thing that mattered and all else was excluded. Former Holy Palace Emperor Sirius was a good example of that.

But then again look at Haseo or Ryou Misaki, as he was known in the real world. At first he had been fixated on finding and defeating Tri-Edge so that he could bring Shino back, and when he first learned to summon Skeith he used that power with no thought to how it would affect the other players around him. Slowly, though, he had begun to change, he had made new friends and begun to protect others instead of fighting them all the time. Now that he had something to defend and people to fight for he was stronger now then he was before.

That was when something clicked in Scorpius mind; was that it? Was _that_ why the Avatar's had been drawn specifically to Haseo, Atoli and the other Epitaph Users? Because all of them had something they desperately wanted to keep safe or protect, because they had a strong desire to help and be of assistance to someone or something?

Turning around slowly the AIDA fragment faced Corbenik and Fidchell, who of course glared back at him from the other side of the data space they were currently in. Aihane was constantly working to update the programming that kept the two Phases enslaved; the hacker wasn't taking any chances on them getting free. The human was even going so far as to have them fight against, and subsequently destroy, some of the other weaker AIDA fragments under his control, which was another development that bothered Scorpius. His comrades were being disposed of as if they were useless trash, but when asked about the matter Aihane had merely brushed it off, saying that for the greater good sacrifices must be made.

Scorpius, however, wasn't so sure about that and was growing more and more suspicious of his current master every day. A part of him said that he was thinking far too much about this. After all he was just a virus, designed to examine and experiment on human emotions. He should just do as he was told and forget about anything else. The other half of the AIDA's mind, on the other hand, was urging him to do just the opposite. It warned that Aihane was only looking out for his own twisted interests and was a danger to him and the other AIDA.

_What am I supposed to do?_ Scorpius thought as he narrowed his eyes and crawled closer to the Avatar's that were in front of him. Both Phases stiffened at his movement but the virus ignored their wary behavior.

Tense silence hung in the air for a moment until the scorpion AIDA spoke up, "Corbenik…I have been…thinking about many things…but mainly about what you said to me previously about being…free," he hissed slowly as he remembered the conversation that they had had before, after the Rebirth had disobeyed Aihane's orders in Lumina Cloth. Not missing a beat Scorpius added, "You said that physical strength wasn't everything, that one should not be forced or intimidated into obeying someone simply because they appear to be strong…" he hissed but then trailed off, waiting for confirmation.

After a moment, Corbenik nodded slowly at that statement, "I did," he established hesitantly, unsure of where this conversation was going. Apparently satisfied Scorpius continued, "Now that I have considered the matter I have realized something about those humans you choose to obey…I have come to understand that the reason they are strong and able to stand and keep fighting in the face of impossible odds is because they all have _something_ or _someone_ that they want to protect," he commented his claws twitching slightly as he spoke.

Both Epitaphs seemed surprised by this comment and exchanged a glance before Corbenik stood a little taller and boldly moved closer to the huge virus. Fidchell for his part crossed his arms saying, "When thou dost fight for thine self, thou art unhappy and angry despite all thine might be in possession of. Thou shalt always seek more to fill thine emptiness in thou soul. But when thou dost have others to protect and care for…when thou has friends and those who dost love them …and who thou loves in return…then thine person or being shalt be content, and their soul shalt happy despite any physical tribulations," the Prophet observed with a firm nod to accentuate his statement.

Scorpius silently considered that comment for a moment. AIDA he might be, but he wasn't blind to what had happened in The World, in fact he knew far more then Aihane gave him credit for, just because he was a virus that didn't make him stupid. Back before AIDA had been fragmented, the anomaly had been watching the players, and more specifically the potential Epitaph Users in the online game for a long time before actually acting and infecting PC's and areas. Now that Scorpius' intelligence and reasoning abilities had grown, though, he could remember, analyze, and think about the behaviors of those humans that had been seen before.

The AIDA fragments were technically separate beings now and were becoming more individualized with distinctive personalities, but they still had all of the same powers and memories from when they were just one consistent data abnormality. Then too when Atoli's Epitaph had been stolen they had gained all of her memories from both offline and The World.

Turning his attention back to the matter at hand, Scorpius thought to the time before Haseo had been able to summon Skeith. When he was a PKK he had basically been all alone and had cut himself off emotionally from everyone. He had few if any friends and firmly rejected contact with anyone who might possibly try and get close to him. Haseo may have been considered one of the strongest players in the game, but during this time it was also painfully obvious to all that he was extremely angry and frustrated, not just with himself but with everything and everyone around him. Then things had changed, Haseo had allowed Silabus and Gaspard into his life, and then those other Epitaph users, Atoli, Kuhn, and Pi.

The months after that when the "Terror of Death" had acquired more friends and fought alongside them to help save the "Lost Ones" and attempt to stop AIDA, had unquestionably been far more difficult and trying then when Haseo had spent his time alone as a PKK; but while that time certainly hadn't been easy on any of those humans, the teenager was clearly happier as a result of the friends he had made. In fact he was stronger then ever now because he had chosen to let others into his life rather then wander alone.

This was starting to make some sense to him; Aihane may be strong for now, just as Haseo the PKK had been, but one day the hacker would fall despite his wisdom and "power." It may be months or even years, but Aihane could not continue this way forever, people all over the world would try and stop him once they realized the truth, and eventually one of them would succeed. Fame, fortune, power, that was what Aihane was striving to obtain and he would do it in any way possible, but what then? When entire countries had been ravaged by his machinations and peoples lives torn apart what would the hacker have left? Nothing, nothing but anger, bitterness, and hate.

Pulling himself from his thoughts Scorpius turned his attention back to the two Epitaphs before him, "Power…true power comes not from physical strength or one's wisdom and mental abilities…" he hummed thoughtfully, "No, true power comes from one's heart, from the desire to protect something that is deemed precious. That is why you chose Ovan and Yata as your User's…because while they may not have been as tough as some of the other players, their inner strength and will were unparalleled…and in the end…it is the strength and kindness of your heart that really matters…that is what determines whether you are truly strong…or will simply fade away…like Morganna and Cubia have, and like Aihane someday will," Scorpius concluded a new light in his eyes.

Corbenik noticed the change in the AIDA's voice and behavior and seized the opportunity, "Scorpius…you don't have to be JUST a virus that hurts others. You can be more then that, you can use your power…AIDA's power…to help _protect_ the online world from humans like Aihane," he insisted strongly seeing how this situation could potentially end up. Fidchell narrowed his eyes slightly clearly not as sure of this as his companion was. Corbenik quickly continued not wanting to waste this golden opportunity, "If AI's like us were created here…then why not others just like us in games and programs all over the Internet?" he questioned fervently and Scorpius blinked in surprise.

The AIDA paused for a moment before saying, "I…did not think about that…but there may indeed be…others, like us…like me," Scorpius considered optimistically and Corbenik nodded encouragingly at that, this was his chance to help the others to make up for his failure to protect Ovan. "And besides that the online world needs to be protected, if only from the very ones who created it. Haseo, Atoli, Kuhn, Yata, Endrance, Sakubo, Pi…they're all doing as best they can to keep The World and the rest of the Internet a safe place for all to enjoy, but now the entire Network is in danger because of what Aihane is doing with AIDA…with you," the Rebirth continued, choosing his words carefully so they would have the maximum effect.

Watching the AIDA carefully Corbenik added, "They are all working together with the other Phases to try and stop Aihane, but there is only so much that they can do on their own. Aihane already has Fidchell and I under his control, and if he gets the other Epitaphs then he'll go after Aura, the Goddess of The World. She is an innocent being who has done nothing but work as best she can to keep her home…our home…safe from hackers, cheats, and other beings who might otherwise destroy it. Back in R: 1 wandering AI's were even allowed to come and go from The World as they pleased, Aura provided a home for all, despite CC Corp's attempts to get rid of them," Corbenik informed and Fidchell nodded in agreement.

Scorpius couldn't help but be interested in what the Rebirth was telling him. "Other AI's…like me…like US," he emphasized staring at them and both Avatar's nodded. Fidchell relaxed somewhat finally accepting that the AIDA wasn't going to attack them, "Thou human partners art trying to save and protect thine Network…and by doing so dost help all of thine who dost inhabit it. Shalt we do any less? Let thou selves not leave this world to chance, but let us instead work along side thine who wish to protect this home…even if thine only being a few. Always there will be those few humans who wish to do what is right, let us partner with them and fight together to protect thine precious home lest it fall into corrupt hands and be forever tainted and uninhabitable," the Prophet added glancing over at his companion.

Corbenik nodded and turned back to Scorpius, "Aihane views you and the rest of AIDA merely as expendable tools to be used and then thrown away, and the power he has is a borrowed one, meant merely to enslave and ruthlessly command those he thinks of as being replaceable," he reminded, "So you can stay with a human like that…OR you can _choose_ to help the Epitaph Users and the other Phases like ourselves and possibly other AI's wander all over the Network. Those players work together as friends with their Avatar's to accomplish a single goal…to protect something or someone they view as precious or important…and THAT is true power," he emphasized clearly.

There was a moment of silence before Corbenik slowly extended his right hand to Scorpius, "Would you slave for a master using some false power? Or would you rather be appreciated and respected the way you could be…the way you _should be_?" he questioned his eyes bright with hope. "You can be more then just some computer virus or data anomaly, you too have something worth protecting…this world the Network that you live in and the other AIDA that are being misused by Aihane. But that doesn't have to continue…you can be different…you can help us Scorpius, you can join us," he offered hopefully.

Silence stretched between them for a while before the huge scorpion AIDA slowly extended his claw and touched it to Corbenik's hand. "To be free…free to choose my own path in life…it is something that AIDA…that I have never before considered," Scorpius said slowly, "I think…that I _would _like to see what true power really is. I would like to know more about humans instead of just serving or experimenting on them, and I DO have something worth protecting and fighting for. I will show the world that AIDA are not just harmful viruses that cause trouble and death, the Internet is our home as well and we shall fight to protect it," he hissed amiably. "I don't know how much I can do for you at the moment…but from now on…we shall work together," Scorpius decided resolutely, he was growing tired of obeying and blindly following Aihane.

After seeing the relationship that the Avatar's had with their human partners it had only served to increase his curiosity. The AIDA fragment had never before thought that perhaps people an AI's like him could work together in harmony instead of one always fighting for dominance. "I will not be _anyone's_slave any longer," Scorpius rumbled angrily as he thought of the way Aihane had treated him and talked down to him, now he was shamelessly sacrificing AIDA fragment simply because they were "weaker" then some others that he had.

* * *

**AN:** WHOOT! How's that for some plot development I ask you? I wonder how many of you saw that developement with Scorpius coming? Now yes I did promise Ryou, Chigusa, Kaoru, and Rhodesia would meet and talk about Aihane and some of the things he has been up to, (cough plane crash cough) but the inspiration struck and I ran with the idea.

I was literally in the middle of typing when the idea with Scorpius popped into my head, I've been trying to fill in some future plot holes before they pop up in the story and this flash of light was just what I needed! So that's one problem solved right there. Now next time you really WILL get to find out what Aihane has been up to, and lets just say that there have been some…_unusual_ "accidents" as of late. I'm sure you all can figure out that one out.

Also in this _Kiss of Death_ arc Ryou will, in a way, be meeting Chigusa's parents…or at least her father. Let's just say that things aren't going to be pretty...

Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit boring, I thought about making it a LOT longer but then I decided to cut it short lest you all be waiting for another week or so. So that's all for now, please press that pretty little button and review!


	20. Kiss of Death Part II

**AN:** Now I really should have mentioned this a while ago, it's not that big of a point in the overall scheme of things but I wanted to mention it anyway. I figure that from the time Shino was PKed up until this current chapter has been about a year or so, so everyone is a year older.

Reiko/Pi: 25 years old

Rhodesia/Ambrosia: 22 yrs

Kaoru/Endrance: 22 yrs

Ryou/Haseo: 18 yrs

Chigusa/Atoli: 17 yrs

So there, you go, just wanted to get that out of the way. I'm glad to see you all enjoyed the banter between Skeith and Ryou the last chapter cause I sure enjoyed writing it! But don't worry, nothing like that will be happening to Ryou and Chigusa…well not _YET_ anyway. (hint hint)

So enough of listening to me! More plot stuff is to come in this chapter and there is an extra treat at the end for all you Ryou/Chigusa fans reading this. So continue on and enjoy the drama!

Chapter 20: Kiss of Death Part II

* * *

Gaunt…maybe even emaciated. Those were the first words that came to their minds when they saw the man sitting there on the bench with his eyes and fingers glued to the cell phone that was in his hands. Even though there were people milling all around him, the young man still seemed set apart from them somehow and seemed set on ignoring all of the commotion. His hair was long and messy and his skin was pale, showing that he didn't get out into the sun much.

Ryou frowned at Kaoru's appearance; sure he knew that the young man didn't really eat very well and was online nearly 24 hours a day, but he hadn't realized just _how_ much of a problem it really was until now. In fact it was painful just _looking_ at him. Beside him Chigusa stiffened when she followed Ryou's gaze and saw just what he was looking at. Immediately her eye's filled with worry and concern; she just couldn't help but feel sorry for the man and was glad that he had been willing to come out here. It would do Kaoru some good to see that he actually had friends he could count on now.

After pausing for a moment Ryou stepped forward, "Kaoru? Is that you?" he questioned hesitantly and the skinny male nodded, still staring at the cell phone in his hands. After a moment there was a small beep as Kaoru finished whatever he was doing and looked up at them. He stared for a moment, his gaze shifting between the two teenagers, "Ryou Misaki? Chigusa Kusaka?" he asked finally, his voice just as soft spoken as it was online. His eyes betrayed his suspicion and instead of remaining on the two teens, they quickly darted around the train station, not resting on a person or thing for more then a moment before moving on to something else.

Ryou frowned slightly at that behavior, _It must be overwhelming for him to be out here in Tokyo like this, _Ryou thought as he regained his composure and smiled in, what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "Yeah, I hope you haven't been waiting too long for us," he commented as Kaoru slid the cell phone into his pocket and stood up to his full height; he was pretty tall actually. Still the Epitaph User looked uncomfortable and out of place here.

Slowly Kaoru shook his head in response to Ryou's inquiry, "No…just got here about to minutes ago, he responded as he turned his attention back to the two teenagers, "It's…strange to be outside again…I'm…not used to being around so many people," Kaoru commented with clear unease. Chigusa quickly tried to reassure him, "I know what you mean! Tokyo is such a big place and it's easy to get lost. I felt overwhelmed the first time I cam here too; in fact I still do a little," she confessed, giving him a warm smile.

The reclusive man blinked slowly in surprise as they began walking, "Really?" he questioned curiously and Chigusa nodded, "Chiba is a big place but it's a lot different from Tokyo. Just stick with us Kaoru and you'll be fine! Try not to worry so much okay?" she told him as they headed through the building; that comment seemed to help him somewhat. They walked in silence for a while as they headed out the front doors and down the steps; Kaoru stared around silently at the skyscrapers for a while as they headed down the street and to the parking area.

After a moment Ryou spoke up, "So how is it that you know Rhodesia exactly?" he asked curiously and Kaoru shifted his attention back to his friend, "She was born in Zimbabwe, Africa…but with her amazing talents her parents decided to send her to a special private school here in Japan…the same one that I went to actually. She had almost all of the same classes that I did, but we didn't actually start talking until we were assigned to a project together…of course I had to help Rhodesia with her Japanese first so I could understand her better. To this day people still have trouble understanding her because of her accent," Kaoru commented and his lips pulled up slightly in what might have been a smile.

Ryou grunted in agreement at that; when they had met online last week he'd had to listen closely and still had missed a lot of what the woman had said to them. "You seem like you get along pretty well…do you talk often?" he asked and Kaoru thought about that for a moment, "We usually e-mail each other several times a week and sometimes she will call and we talk on the phone…but I've been busy with G.U. lately so we haven't had as much time to chat with each other," he explained and then paused for a moment before saying, "It was…good to hear from her again," he said adding the last part somewhat hesitantly.

Raising an eyebrow at that, Ryou thought for a moment. The hikikomori was notoriously reclusive after all, and even though he spent almost all of his time in The World, Kaoru was almost _always_ alone. Well, Saku followed him like a shadow, but more often then not she was ignore by the object of her affections. The young man didn't communicate with others unless it was absolutely necessary.

In fact despite the way the young man seemed to cling to him, Ryou could count on one hand the number of times Kaoru had take the initiative to send _him_ an e-mail, and even then the message usually consisted of only a few short sentences, if that. The longest message Ryou could remember had been after he defeated Ovan and Corbenik for the second time and the network ha been reborn. So for the recluse to admit two-way contact with someone outside of the online world was _very _unusual.

Apparently Chigusa picked up on this as well and glanced over at Ryou before saying, "Well, it seems like you two are really good friends. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you," she hinted and Kaoru looked at her with a slightly confused look on his face. "Oh…well…I suppose we are," he said slowly; apparently he hadn't thought very much about the matter. Kaoru frowned slightly as he considered what Chigusa had said, "Rhodesia has always been a bit…isolated, because of her genius and talents…while I have always shunned the expectations and demands of society…our circumstances may be different…but we…understand each other I suppose…she doesn't expect me to be something I'm not, or to change because that is what everyone else is doing," Kaoru explained as they continued walking.

The young man paused for a moment before continuing, "In fact Rhodesia is a lot like you Ryou…instead of berating me because of the fact that I'm a hikikomori…you both try and help me to overcome my problems…my fears…I feel that I'm a stronger person because of your help and support," Kaoru said fondly as he looked back over at the teenager who blinked in surprise at that statement.

Looking away, Ryou felt uncomfortable as he always did in situations like this. His outward appearance, though, was calm and collected. "Well who am I to judge the behavior and feelings of others? I mean it's not like **I **was the picture of virtue and responsibility either when this entire mess first began. Despite what others may say and think, I still don't feel as if I'm much of a role model. I mean we all have problems that we have to deal with, and the only way we're going to overcome them is if we have friends that we can depend on…people that we really trust," he replied strongly.

Kaoru nodded in agreement but Chigusa seemed distracted by those words, but she was pulled from her thoughts when Ryou said, "Well, here we are. It was a gift from my parents," he stated with a hint of satisfaction as they stopped in front of a small jet-black SUV. The young woman couldn't help but smile as she heard the pride in Ryou's voice, "This is really, cool! I can't wait until I can finally get a car of my own," Chigusa said with just a slight pause; she almost said "cute" but had then changed her mind. After all, the last thing a guy wanted to hear was that the shiny automobile that he was oh-so-proud of was "cute."

There was a small click as Ryou unlocked the vehicle and motioned for them to get in. Kaoru stared at the two teenagers and thought for a moment before saying, "I'll sit in the back," he offered and proceeded to hop in.

Chigusa was surprised when Ryou suddenly stepped forward and opened the passenger side door for her so she could get in. The girl raised and eyebrow in surprise before smiling warmly at him, "Wow, I never knew you could be such a gentleman," she teased and then couldn't resist a giggle as Ryou's cheeks turned slightly pink. He grunted and looked away in embarrassment, "Just get in the car," he grumbled at her and Chigusa bit her lip to keep from laughing at him, "Thank you" she added sincerely before stepping inside.

Closing the door Ryou walked around and slid into the drivers seat; after putting on his seat belt he turned the ignition and pulled out of the parking spot. "Now we just have to go to the CC Corp main building to meet up with Rhodesia," Ryou commented as he kept a careful eye on traffic. Kaoru narrowed his eyes slightly, "I don't think the news that Rhodesia is going to give us is going to be very good…" he put in and everyone was silent for a moment as they thought about all of the things Aihane had been doing lately.

He was taking care to be subtle as he spread AIDA throughout the network once again. Other games were reporting abnormalities on a huge scale, and players, who most likely were infected ones, were beginning to act strangely as well. Some had even fallen into a coma.

So far, though now black dots had been seen. Of course a hacker of Aihane's level would and could merely adjust the graphics so that AIDA wasn't so easily detected; now that everyone knew about the virus he had to be extra careful about how he proceeded. If people started seeing black dots again then it would be like posting a huge neon sign that said, "AIDA is here! Get out now!"

While Aihane was, in his own twisted ways, profiting from and enjoying this mess, those of G.U. didn't really know just HOW far AIDA had gone. The effects of the virus on players and areas would only show up after the vicinity had been corroded and saturated by AIDA. And it wasn't just games either, all sorts of strange things had been reported lately; another thing that Ryou wanted to ask Rhodesia about.

Chigusa hesitated for a moment before saying, "I remember when AIDA's influence was at its peak…they thought that the space station, Village, was going to fall out of orbit. Then there was the trouble with those network connectable navigation systems going out of control in people's cars and causing mass pileups on the highways," she said worriedly as she looked out of the window.

As they drove through Tokyo electronics and machines of all kinds could be seen in use or in an advertisement, and around 80 to 90 percent of those devices would or could be hooked up to the network in one way or another. It just seemed like there was no avoiding it these days. Cars used the net to operate on auto drive or to run diagnostics to check for problems. Planes were now almost completely automated an the airports they flew into used special computer programs that connected to the network in order to control, keep track of, and communicate with planes all across the world.

Kaoru nodded in agreement as he followed her gaze, "Then too were all of the people being controlled. Bordeaux, Sirius, Taihaku, and myself are just a few examples of that…AIDA has the power to affect peoples emotions, thereby controlling the person themselves…and if Aihane has power over AIDA…then there is nothing that is out of his reach," he agreed providing a dismal picture for the future.

There was a moment of silence before Ryou added, "And now he's taking away the only one's that can stop him…the Eight Epitaphs…once he has all of them…there's nothing _anyone_ can do to stop him," the teenager's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he spoke.

In just a few months Skeith and the other Avatar's had developed the power and knowledge of how to manipulate and hack the network to suit their own ends. Changing Canard's home was _nothing_ compared to what they could do now; they did things that would take even the most talented person, years or at the very least months, to learn how to do.

Passing through firewalls and decoding encrypted military and government data was a favorite for Skeith, the Terror of Death apparently thought it was "fun" and "enjoyed the challenge". Thankfully the Avatar was smart enough to leave things exactly the way they first were and to erase all evidence of his having been there. Of course Ryou had immediately told Skeith to stop once he found out what was going on. For a while after that the teenager had had dreams about the FBI or some other government heavyweights from who-knows-where showing up at his doorstep and whisking him off to a bunker someplace for questioning.

Scowling darkly at that memory Ryou continued driving, _I swear that Avatar is going to be the death of me,_ he thought, aggravated by Skeith's behavior. As if he didn't have enough problems to deal with already.

* * *

Finally they had made it to the CC Corp building without incident. This was the first time any of them had been here and they couldn't help but marvel at just how GIGANTIC it was on the inside. Ryou let out a small whistle as he looked up at the high ceiling that was intricately designed, "Well if you've got as much money as they do then I suppose you have to spend it on something," he muttered mostly to himself as Chigusa came up beside him. "I wonder where Rhodesia is?" she commented as Kaoru walked up and stood silently behind the two. She looked around but apparently they weren't worth noticing because all of the employees and visitors just ignored them. "Are we supposed to ask for her or…?' she began slowly.

"She'll find us," Kaoru said calmly and before Ryou could ask, the young recluse was all but tackled from behind as woman with dark skin and long braids threw her arms around his neck. She was wearing an auburn and orange blouse with a chocolate colored skirt and sandals on. "Kaoru! So good to again be seeing you in the flesh it is!" a female voice chirped happily her teeth flashing with a bright smile. Ryou jerked back in surprise as Chigusa chuckled, "Well it looks like he was right after all," she said her voice bubbling with laughter at Kaoru's less then enthusiastic face. The hikikomori looked none to happy at the female's zealous show of affection towards him but he didn't comment on it.

Finally the woman let him go long for a brief moment before hugging him again and placing a kiss on both of his cheeks, "Look at you! You're so thin!" Rhodesia, for that was the only person it could possibly be, wrinkled her nose in disgust before waving a finger at Kaoru disapprovingly. "More meat and fish in that body need you to be putting. Japan the seafood capital of the world might as well being. One of these days I'm going to get you to try some and when you do you'll like it," Rhodesia vowed in a friendly tone of voice. Kaoru's lips thinned slightly, "My eating habits are fine…" he defended but the African woman wasn't letting him off the hook so easily. "Anything but fine you are! If I going to be here in Japan make sure you be getting a balanced diet I will," Rhodesia said with a firm nod as she looked over and smiled at Ryou and Chigusa.

Kaoru gave a small sigh of apparent defeat and didn't bother to try and refute her statement. Then again Rhodesia didn't seem like the type of woman who would listen to him anyway.

Chigusa held out her hand in greeting and then gave a startled cry as Rhodesia suddenly hugged her, "No need being shy little sister! Where I come from a hug and kiss is how greeting one another we go about," she explained as she pulled back and gave Chigusa a kiss on both cheeks as she had Kaoru.

Ryou gave Kaoru a questioning look at the "little sister" part but the hikikomori could only give a helpless shrug. He turned and quickly held up his hands before Rhodesia could greet him the same way she had Chigusa. Customary greeting or not Ryou had limits to how polite he would be. "Thanks but I think I'll just settle for a 'nice to meet you'" he said abruptly and Rhodesia slapped him on the back instead. "So standoffish you all men are. Relax and let live is what say I," she countered with the same enthusiasm. Behind Rhodesia he could see Chigusa giggling at him and even Kaoru looked somewhat amused. Ryou shot them both a dark look but to little effect.

Spinning around to face them all Rhodesia motioned for them to follow along, "Come! Come! Much to talk about we have! I set up conference room for us to talk in," she said swiftly grabbing Kaoru's hand and dragging him off with her as she headed for a hallway on the other side of the room. There was a moment of stunned silence before Chigusa cleared her throat and said, "Well she certainly is in high spirits isn't she?" she said happily. Ryou sighed and rubbed his face, "Let's just follow her and get this over with," he muttered sticking his hands in his pockets as they followed after the two.

They headed down the corridor and into an elevator that led them up a few levels to what was apparently some type of administration area. Rhodesia swung off to the left and after passing several rooms came to two double doors. "Well here we be. Have it to ourselves for long as we need. This subject not exactly something you can discuss just _anywhere_," she commented as she looked around carefully before opening the door and waving them in before closing and locking it behind them.

Just as Ryou expected it was pretty bland, having only a long table in the center with leather chairs seated around it and dark almost black paint on the walls. At the far end there was a large screen that seemed to be built straight into the wall. Rhodesia took a seat at the far end next to Kaoru while Ryou and Chigusa sat across from them.

Rhodesia clapped her hands and the screen on the wall lit up with pictures and words. Kaoru narrowed his eyes slightly and Chigusa gasped at the image, "What…what IS that? There's nothing left of it…" she whispered as she stared at the twisted metal and scorched wreckage that had suddenly appeared on screen; just as she said there really wasn't much left. Pieces were flung everywhere and the trees in the distance were broken and smoldering as if some flaming thing from the sky had slammed into them. Ryou, though, knew exactly what it was; it had shown up briefly on the news almost a month ago.

"It's a plane," he stated quietly and everyone turned to look at Ryou as he stared at the screen; a sinking feeling in his gut told him exactly what was going on and why Rhodesia wanted to talk in person about this. Something about the news report when it had first come out had set off alarms in his mind so he had put Skeith's data gathering skills to good use and had the Avatar obtain more information on the apparent accident. The teenager knew he could get in trouble for it but something there had pulled at his attention.

Nodding in confirmation Rhodesia said, "WAS a plane be more exact," she pulled out a remote and flipped through more horribly detailed images. "Pilot was man who play German version of The World. Famous PC and quite skilled he was," she added pressing a button on the controller. A picture of a Macabre Dancer showed up on screen preparing to fight in the arena. "Things be fine for him till start getting suspicious he did. Posts he write saying that he think AIDA back infecting games again. Not after long he start getting replies from other players seeing strange things like did he. Worry that AIDA not gone like reports said the players did. Most dismiss as rumors these posts but as time went more start believing him and getting upset," she added and the screen changed to a picture of the comments that had been posted.

Kaoru pulled his eyes away from the images, "He was on to the truth…and Aihane didn't like it," he guessed and Rhodesia flicked through the pictures again until she got to a taping of the news broadcast with the Japanese translation at the bottom. Ryou paused for a moment before speaking, "I thought that something seemed…off about the whole thing, so I had Skeith dig into it and he found police reports saying that the plane's network connection was corrupted with a virus and that caused the plane to lose control…they reported that it was eerily similar to the AIDA virus but because the plane was totally destroyed they never confirmed anything," he explained edgily.

Leaning back in her chair Rhodesia raised an eyebrow, "See I do you putting your Avatar to good use," she said in an almost approving tone of voice. Chigusa shook her head, "Wait so you mean…" her eyes widened as she realized where this was going. Rhodesia nodded somberly, "Aihane knew if man continued, his plan be found out and ruined might things be for him. So searching for man offline Aihane start and find all he need be knowing," she said with a frown as they showed a body bag being zipped up and taken away in an ambulance.

Kaoru shook his head at that, "A hacker like Aihane would find it a simple task to find out what type of network connection the plane operated on. Then once that was accomplished he would simply have to send one of his AIDA fragments through the line. Even one as weak as and Anna wouldn't have trouble taking out the plane's operating system and toying with the engines and information logs," he considered with a hint of anger in his voice as he looked back at the screen.

After a moment of tense silence Rhodesia hit another button and the images and news broadcasts stopped and disappeared completely. A moment later a list of names popped up; there must have been at least 40 or 50 of them from all over the world. Ryou's look soured and Chigusa too looked sick as she said, "All of these people? Killed…by Aihane?" she asked her voice shaking slightly.

Her lips pressed into a thin line Rhodesia sighed heavily, "No hard evidence there be. But when look at circumstances, timing, and what they have in common…there really isn't any other conclusion for those of us who know what going on really," she explained and Kaoru turned back to her. "What they all have in common?" he questioned and she was silent for a moment before saying, "Every last one of them investigating AIDA they were. Several killed when their car's navigations systems going out of control. Crashed into trees, buildings, or oncoming traffic and was killed. One was on commercial flight and whole plane lost power, engines, everything. Catch fire and crash just as it coming into land…no survivors," Rhodesia explained with clear disgust at the last one.

Chigusa's eyes softened, "All of those innocent people…all so Aihane can keep hurting others," she said bitterly and Ryou clenched his fists at this information. But Rhodesia wasn't done yet, "15 people various countries they be from, died from asphyxiation or carbon monoxide poisoning when gas leak start up in house and levels get too high. Of course all natural gas lines leading into houses are computer controlled so such things are prevented of course. In all cases a faulty network connection was what they telling the public," Rhodesia added and then shut the screen off.

Swiveling her chair around she put the remote on the table, "Be plenty more 'accidents' I could tell you about, but getting the point you are," she said seriously as the three Epitaph User's were silent.

"He's going to try and do the same to us…" Ryou said suddenly and they all turned to look at him but his gaze was focused on the table in front of him. "If he can kill us off in the real world than it will be that much easier to capture the Avatar's online. Aihane knows that the Eight Phases draw their power from our emotions and feelings. If he gets rid of us then Skeith and the others may be able to escape and hide within the network…but in a face-to-face battle with AIDA they're not going to fare so well. A lot of the power they relied on will be gone," he said and then frowned slightly.

Knowing what he was thinking Rhodesia added, "Be thinking about fight in Lumina Cloth with Corbenik you are," she stated and before anyone could ask how she knew about that she continued, "Negative emotions be just as strong as positive ones. The Rebirth be upset over losing Ovan, angry at being used by Aihane, and distressed at having to fight fellow Avatars. So far into The World it is that the game being like one huge AIDA server. Maybe not as strong as other one, but can influence players without them even realizing what's going on. That being how Corbenik was too powerful for you to defeat," she concluded, running a hand through her braids.

Kaoru hummed in understanding, "His own negative emotions were all the power he needed in order to fight…and he didn't even realize what Aihane was doing…the poor creature," he whispered to himself.

Chigusa looked understandably scared, "So…what do we do? I mean if Aihane is really going to…going to try and kill us…" she stopped and closed her eyes as a tremble passed through her body at the thought and she couldn't bring herself to say anything more. Under the table Ryou slid his hand into hers, giving it a small squeeze to try and comfort her. She gave him a tiny smile of gratitude and held onto him more tightly.

Nodding in understanding Rhodesia flicked the screen on again and this time it was an image of a beautiful suite that was fully furnished and ready for someone to move into. "These be the living quarters CC Corp set up for you. You be their only shot at taking down Aihane so doing whatever they can, the higher ups are, to make sure you don't get killed off. They asked me to…" she paused and waved her hand as she searched for the right word, "To pitch offer to you. They want you to come to a undisclosed location near here to live, less chance that Aihane will find you and you'll be able to work closer with Avatar's as well. Be doing all they can to protect you at the moment they are but can't keep it up forever where you live now…not secure enough," Rhodesia explained with a shake of her head.

Before anyone could object or make a comment the woman held up her hand, "I know this be surprise and wondering you might about how to tell family and friends or whatever. Ryou and Chigusa you still be in school too so you might think how that will work out, trust me though when I say that I can take care all that," she began her eyes and tone of voice firm and unwavering.

Rhodesia gritted her teeth as she said, "Remember that you Epitaph Users be only one's keeping Aihane from capturing Aura. We not just talking about your personal comfort or circumstances…you the ONLY one's Avatar's will obey and they the only things with even the slimmest chance of stopping this hacker. If you not help out then more people will die and Skeith and remaining Phases be taken from you for sure. AIDA already all over the world, not just in online games now. If Aihane succeeds then former Network Crises be nothing next to what he will do once Aura under his command. Access he have to missiles, bombs, tanks, battleships, nuclear power plants, and more," she said almost desperately before her tone eased.

"Not be easy to hear this is, but is the truth we all must face. Either you do what you can in the hopes that it will work…and risk losing everything you have anyway…or sit back and watch as doomsday comes down on all our heads," Rhodesia said with a hint of bitterness at such a harsh decision. "I be scared as anyone else. But not be able to live with myself if I not doing what ever little bit I can to help," she said with a shrug. "Don't have to tell me your answer now, though, I understand if you need some time to…" she began but was cut off by Ryou.

"I'll do it," he said strongly, his eyes firm with determination. "Maybe I don't know how to stop Aihane or even if it's possible…but I said it before and I'll say it again. As long as there is something I can do then I can't just sit back and do nothing. Those innocent people who died…I won't let their deaths be in vain…I won't turn my back on this problem just because I'm scared of what's going to happen to me," Ryou vowed with unwavering conviction. "And as for Skeith…he's my friend, my partner," he said and then shook his head.

"No, he's more then that. He's a part of who I am as a person…if I turn my back on this whole mess then I'm not just abandoning The World and the people in it…I'll be betraying all of the trust and faith that Skeith has put in me by choosing me and obeying me as his User. It would be like leaving a part of myself behind. That's why I'm going to fight Aihane no matter what he throws at me," Ryou confirmed in a tone that made it clear he would not be dissuaded.

Chigusa sat straighter in her chair, her heart touched by his strong words. "Ryou is right. Innis could have chosen anybody in The World, both the game and the real world I mean…but she didn't, she chose ME and I'm not going to let her down by running away. I'm going to be strong and do all I can too!" she decided and Kaoru was silent for a moment before nodding in assent, "Once I stood by and watched as Mia was taken from me…I will not allow the same to happen to Macha. Besides…I vowed to always stay by Ryou's side…I will not abandon him now," Kaoru decided as he looked over at the two teenagers.

Rhodesia smiled broadly at that, "CC Corp be more then a little relieved at that, and don't worry I set some ground rules so they don't be running roughshod over you," she promised as she stood up. The others did the same and they followed her as she headed over and unlocked the door, "Wish more time I had to spend with you. Lots of work needing to be done there is," she said with a dramatic sigh before turning to Kaoru, "I'll call you later so you had BETTER pick up that phone you hear?" she warned before winking at him and flouncing off down the hallway.

The hikikomori stared after her with a slight frown on his face, "I will _never_ understand women," he muttered mostly to himself as he turned back to his companions. "So what now? It's already 2:00 in the afternoon," he stated and Ryou blinked in surprise before looking down at his watch. "Man, I knew we got a bit of a late start but I didn't think time had gone by _that_ fast," he said as he rubbed his neck in thought as they headed back to the elevator. Apparently Rhodesia figured that they could find their way back down on their own.

They headed down the elevator and stepped back out onto the first floor. Walking back outside Ryou realized that it would probably rain at any minute; before he could make a suggestion about lunch there was a ringing sound that came from Chigusa's pocket. The girl frowned slightly and took it out and almost immediately her face turned pale when she saw the number on the screen. Swallowing hard she avoided Ryou's probing gaze, "I…I have to take this…" she mumbled before accepting the call and hurrying a few steps away from them. Despite the distance though both men could hear the sound of someone's angry shouting.

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion Ryou crossed his arms as he watched the conversation. Chigusa bit her lip nervously as the shouting continued, "I know…but I was only visiting with some friends and I thought…." she stopped in mid sentence, as the shouting got louder. The young woman flinched as if she had been hit and hung her head in dejection and shame, "Yes sir…I understand…and mom?" Chigusa said the last part hesitantly and winced at the response. Her hands played nervously with her shirt and she gave a small gasp, "Gone? But I thought that things were…" she stopped again and actually had to hold the phone away from her ear slightly as a sentence laced with profanities shot out at her.

Head bowed she nodded slowly, "I'm sorry…I'll be home soon…no sir…goodbye," Chigusa whispered before ending the call and dropping her hand. For a moment she just stared at the device and Ryou saw her quickly wipe away some tears from her eyes before she took a deep breath and stuffed the cell phone back in her pocket. As she walked back over to them both Ryou and Kaoru could tell that she was highly upset, "I-I have to go back home. My parents are back early from their cruise and…I mean I knew they were going to separate some time soon but…" she stopped sounding as if she would burst into tears at any moment.

Shaking her head she cleared her throat, "My dad's really upset…he wants me home _right now_. I'm sorry I can't stay but I really need to get back to the train station," Chigusa told them; she kept her eyes on the ground as she spoke, probably so that they wouldn't see the tears that were surely in her eyes. Kaoru took the opportunity to sidle away and start walking in the direction that Ryou had parked, he could tell that perhaps they needed a moment alone.

Ryou opened his mouth to speak but Chigusa spoke first, "_Please_ Ryou…I just…I can't…not right now…I just need to get home as soon as I can," she pleaded with him just as she had earlier today when he had first picked her up. His expression softened, he just couldn't say no to her could he? "Fine…if that's what you really want…" he acquiesced with a heavy sigh as they began walking again. He could tell by that conversation alone that some thing wasn't right, but if Chigusa didn't want to talk about it then he would respect her decision.

Reaching out he slid his hand into hers; Chigusa looked up in surprise but Ryou merely nodded slightly to show that she had his support. This time a single tear slid down her face and she squeezed his hand tightly as they walked. They got back to his car and drove in total silence; Kaoru's gaze flicked back and forth between the two but didn't say anything, it just wasn't his place.

When they got back to the station Kaoru thanked them for being here and said his polite goodbyes before heading off to the train he was supposed to get on, leaving Ryou and Chigusa standing there alone. This section of the building was pretty much empty of people and somehow that seemed to make things all the more uncomfortable. Finally she spoke up, "I'm sorry for the trouble Ryou," she whispered and he frowned and shook his head at her words. "You don't have anything to apologize for, it's not like this is your fault so don't make it out to be," he countered but she didn't respond and merely turned away. "Maybe…" was her lack luster reply.

Ryou stepped closer and tilted her chin up so she was forced to look at him, "Look I don't know what all is going on, but if your parents are having problems with each other then that's something _they_ have to work out _themselves_…don't beat yourself up over it and blame yourself for their problems, okay?" he said more insistently and Chigusa gave a tiny smile at his reassurance. "Thanks Ryou…for everything," she said with a level of gratitude in her voice that words alone could not fully convey.

Still Ryou seemed to understand perfectly what she was telling him and he smiled almost gently at her as she gazed into his crimson eyes, and it was then that she realized how close they really were. He noticed it the same moment she did and his eyes flashed with hesitation, for a moment he just stood there and Chigusa could feel her heart racing, beating wildly in her chest from nervousness and excitement.

What was he going to do? Move closer? Or back up and shy away? It seemed as if time had stopped and the moment dragged on as they stood there gazing at each other. Her breath caught in her throat as Ryou slowly leaned his head closer to her, so close their noses were touching, but still he hung there for a moment as if unsure of himself, "Chigusa…" he finally said a slight question in his tone. Ryou's voice was so soft that it was barely a whisper and yet that single word sent chills up her spine and she could have sworn that her heart skipped a beat. Chigusa had never been so nervous and yet so excited at the same time like this before.

His hand dropped from her chin and slid around her waist, pulling her body closer to his. Chigusa swallowed hard and felt her mouth go dry as Ryou shifted even closer to her, so close that their lips were almost touching. Chigusa didn't resist, nor did she want to; every girl dreamed of her first kiss and she was no different. But she couldn't believe that after these many months Ryou had chosen _her_ of all people and that he still wanted to be with her when there were so many others vying for his attention, it was quite flattering when she thought about it.

Finally she shifted closer to him, "Ryou…" she whispered answering his unspoken question. With an expression that could only be called relief he closed the gap that was separating them pressing his lips against hers in a gentle kiss. Chigusa felt a spark, a tingle, a shiver shoot up her spine at the contact and her eyes fluttered shut as she responded to his soft touch. Leaning into him she lifted her hand resting it on his cheek as he held her close. This feeling was incredible and the moment was perfect, it was everything she had imagined it would be.

Slowly his lips began moved subtly across hers and Chigusa responded readily to his kiss, wanting this moment to last as long as it possibly could. She couldn't help but let out small sigh and all bad thoughts were banished from her mind as she was lost in this wonderful moment. Sure her parent's would be furious at her for coming here, without permission, to see him like this, but for now Chigusa couldn't care less about that. All that mattered right now was _him_ and his wonderful, comforting kiss.

His lips lingered on hers for a moment longer before Ryou pulled away a certain note satisfaction in his eyes as he watched her expression. For a moment all she could do was stare at him as her mind registered what had just happened.

Ryou had just kissed her.

The guy she had been admiring almost from the day they first met had _kissed _her.

Haseo, the Terror of Death, who had at first been so cold, indifferent, and obviously annoyed by her mere presence had just kissed **her**.

Quickly Chigusa ducked her head away, her cheeks burning with a tell tale blush as a smile spread across her face. Ryou, his former hesitation evidently banished, actually smirked at her, which only made her face turn a deeper shade of red.

All trains to Chiba now boarding. Second call. All trains to Chiba now boarding.

Came the announcement and Chigusa, pray silently that her voice didn't crack, cleared her throat and shifted her gaze back to Ryou. "I'll…I'll call or e-mail you whenever I get the chance okay?" she managed to get out in an almost normal tone of voice. He nodded and leaned forward again giving her cheek a soft kiss before leaning back, "I'll be waiting," he said sounding calmer then ever and a smirk still in place. Smiling shyly Chigusa thanked him before hurrying off to get on the train.

Ryou stood there for a few minutes watching the spot where Chigusa had just stood. A smile spread across his face as he headed back towards the entrance. Their relationship had its bumps but things would work out one way or another. A small part of his mind warned that something wasn't right with that phone call Chigusa had gotten earlier but that notion was quickly pushed aside for later. Right now amidst all the chaos and pending doom was a perfect moment, and Ryou wanted to enjoy it for as long as he possibly could.

* * *

**AN: **HAH! So how did you like that chapter? It seems my chapters are just getting longer and longer and longer.... So anyway I hope you all enjoyed that one. Grammar isn't my strong suit and something always slips by, so yeah…sorry about that. I should probably get a beta reader or something…

Anywho, Aihane is eviler then ever and you will see that in the chapter after next or so. If you thought the Kiss of Death arc was over then THINK AGAIN! Ryou and Chigusa may have had a moment of piece but next chapter it all hits the fan so to speak. Someone is in _trouble_; things don't turn out well on Chigusa's end and Aihane has made a move that no one saw coming.

So press that pretty little button and tell us what you think!! Pretty please? Pretty, pretty, pretty please?


	21. Caged Bird

**AN: **I am SO SORRY for leaving you all hanging like this for over 2 months! I really didn't realize that much time had passed. Between College, vacation, and life in general my computer time has been reduced a bit leaving me with less time to churn out chapters for you all. Really I am sorry for the long wait but I promise that you all will have plenty to chew on by the time this chapter here is finished!

By the way I'm sure that at some point you'll notice that I've changed my pen name from DragonMaster Reborn to my new name of: Lady Darkness Diamond.

Dark beauty has always seemed to suit me best. :)

I thank all of you around the world who have been reading this little fanfic of mine, it wasn't until the Reader Traffic was installed on the website that I realize just where all of you kind people were! So thanks a bundle and I hope you will continue to read! I'll try to make this one extra long to make up for the wait alright?

Chapter 21: Caged Bird

* * *

Haseo was growing more and more worried by the hour. After Chigusa's unexpected and unexplained exit from Tokyo exactly one week ago, she had all but vanished off the face of the earth. He had tried to contact her by way of her cell phone, e-mail, and even short mail from within The World but his girlfriend was nowhere to be found. Immediately he had gone and sought the help of his friends to see if they knew anything, but had only run into dead ends no matter where he turned.

Pi couldn't find her in The World or offline and really didn't have much free time to devote to the matter either way. Not only was she taking care of Takumi Hino, Yata's real self, but she was working overtime for CC Corp as well. Having Fidchell taken away had been a major blow to the former G.U. leader's confidence and the heart attack he had suffered during the attack had only worsened matters.

Takumi was practically incapacitated, unable to log into The World because the hospital deemed that it was too stressful for him, and unable to return to CC Corp to search for his missing partner and Avatar until he recovered. Sitting back and not being able to do anything whatsoever while the world, both online and off, began to pull apart at the seams was only making him more and more miserable. The once proud, even arrogant man was barely a shadow of his former self and no one knew when, or if he would ever recover. So both Pi and Yata, or Takumi rather, could offer no assistance when it came to Chigusa's sudden disappearing act.

Kuhn had only given a helpless shrug and an apology when asked about the matter, Saku had snorted and curtly told Haseo that she didn't know anything and waved him off with the admonition that if she did find something he would be the first to know. Bo on the other hand had kindly promised to tell his "big brother" the moment anything came up. Endrance had been genuinely worried about her and agreed to help gather information wherever he could. He had even gone to Alkaid, Sirius, and Taihaku for help but they too had only shaken their heads and promised to contact him the moment they heard anything. Rhodesia, or Ambrosia as her in game PC was called, seemed to vanish and then reappear with no warning. Endrance, though, had agreed to ask her about it, but so far Haseo hadn't heard an update back from either of them.

So for now there was little that Haseo could do. The minute Chigusa had received that phone call from her father in Tokyo his mental alarms had screamed a warning that _something_ was wrong. At first he had tried to brush it off as paranoia, they HAD all been under a lot of pressure lately, but now it was all he could think about and the teenager cursed himself for waiting this long to do something about it.

Haseo knew from earlier e-mails that at one time she had been visiting suicide related web sites; in fact it was on one of these forums that she had first run into Sakaki; and everyone knew how that supposed "friendship" had turned out. They could all see how badly her self-confidence and self-image had been damaged by school peers, online players, and even her own overbearing parents. They had all but broken her spirit and even now it was clear that Chigusa still suffered greatly from time to time from such memories.

So currently Haseo was in Canard's Home trying to figure out what to do next. From the sidelines Silabus and Gaspard watched their Guild Master worriedly as he paced back and forth muttering angrily to himself. Taking a deep breath the Blade Brandier stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Hey there! Try not to get all worked up okay? I'm sure Atoli will show up any day now, so just be patient," he said keeping his voice encouraging.

Gaspard nodded in agreement with that comment as he spread his arms, "Silabus is right Haseo. I'm worried too, but she probably has a good reason for not responding to your messages. Besides everyone you know is helping to look for her right? So all you can do right now is wait for her to show up," he reminded and Haseo twitched at that and stopped pacing but didn't comment. Waiting was the LAST thing he wanted to do right now.

Putting on a reassuring smile Gaspard nodded calmly, "Try taking on a Quest or just going through a Dungeon to get your mind off of it for a while," the beast PC offered and immediately several sharp and nasty comments came to Haseo's mind; but for once he managed to hold his tongue. They didn't know how serious this situation was after all so it would do no good to snap at them.

Then again what if Aihane _had_ managed to get a hold of her? During their visit just last week Rhodesia HAD warned them that the hacker would try such a thing hadn't she? Lately Haseo couldn't even sleep for worrying about all of the terrible things that could happen to Atoli, both online and off.

Holding his breath, Haseo forced himself to calm down so he wouldn't end up screaming at his friends. Turning to his companions the Adept Rogue crossed his arms as his foot tapped impatiently, "No. I won't be able to relax until I know that she's safe. Things are…" he paused for a moment and looked away as dozens of potential threats and dangers came to mind.

Gritting his teeth in frustration he added, "Things are more complicated then you realize…I can't stop worrying until I hear back from Atoli….I WON'T stop worrying…" Haseo told them as he looked up to the ceiling, staring at the hole in the roof that Skeith had created one day out of boredom. That moment seemed like it was so long ago.

It took a moment before Haseo realized that he had forgotten what was unquestionably the most important person of all, _How could I be so stupid?! If Skeith can hack through military firewalls then why wouldn't he be able to find out something about Chigusa?_ he thought with a small spark of hope as Silabus and Gaspard finally relented and went off to talk to some of the other Canard members. A human being may not be able to figure out what had happened, but surely a machine could. Haseo walked off to a quieter corner of the home and silently contacted his Avatar.

* * *

The Terror of Death was somewhat bored and itching for something to do but was nonetheless waiting with forced patience while Haseo took care of his business within the online game. Whenever Ryou entered The World, Skeith too would return, waiting from inside his User's PC and watching carefully in case he was ever needed for an AIDA battle or something. Once Haseo had asked Skeith where he was and the Epitaph hadn't really been able to provide and answer to that. After all what did physical space and location mean to a machine? A being of data that could be anywhere at any time with a simple command or activation of a switch?

Finally the Avatar had settled on telling the teenager that while he was logged into The World, he was "inside" of the PC more or less. But when Ryou left, then Skeith was free to wander around as he wished. There had been a long moment of silence before the Adept Rogue decided to just take that at face value and not try to decipher all the little details, he was a fighter not a philosopher after all.

So at the moment Skeith's current vantage point was behind and slightly above Haseo. It was the same view that any other player would have of their PC. He could also hear everything that was being said and pick up on his human's every thought and worry. So when Haseo finally walked off and then spoke to him it was not that much of a surprise really. The Epitaph had been following the conversation about Atoli and was ready when his User finally spoke up.

_Skeith?_ came the question from Haseo and the Avatar gave an insulted snort. _About time you finally came to me brat! Really, I'm actually insulted to think that you would take this long to ask for my help! Me…of all the people in your life. See? You've gone and hurt my feelings now… _the Terror of Death replied, feigning a hurt tone of voice as Haseo rolled his eyes at that. Crossing his arms the human shook his head, _Stop pretending your upset and tell me what you've found out. I know you've already been looking into this because you're too impatient to sit still, _Haseo commented with clear impatience and Skeith would have grinned mischievously at that if he was capable of it. His User would die of a heart attack if he knew even half of the things his Epitaph did when no one was looking.

Hacking in to The World's data took only a second now that Skeith was used to the flow of data in these parts, and within a few seconds several screens had popped up in front of Haseo's face. The teen flinched back in surprise at the sudden action and scowled slightly as Skeith spoke up again, _Before you ask you're the only one who can see those windows so don't worry about it. Now I've already checked the ship logs of the cruise liner Chigusa Kusaka's parents were supposed to be on, the events they signed up for, when they ate, what they were wearing when they ate, even surveillance tapes from outside their rooms, on the decks, and from wherever else they put camera's up on that vessel, _Skeith stated feeling quite proud of his skills as he spoke.

Once inside the computer mainframe that the company used it had only taken a cursory search using the right passenger names to bring up most of what he wanted and needed. Most of it was labeled "off limits" but Skeith had merely hacked into the files, copied what he needed, and then pulled out leaving everything the way it originally was; simple as taking candy from a baby really.

He could feel Haseo's suspicion and clear interest in the methods he had used to obtain this information, but at the moment the teen's worry for Chigusa overrode any desire to investigate the matter further and he just plain didn't want to know what methods his inquisitive Avatar had used. When it came to Skeith some question's really were better left unanswered.

Haseo fidgeted impatiently, _And? What does that have to do with Atoli?_ the young male pressed urgently and Skeith actually hissed at him, _Give me a minute and I'll tell you!_ he snapped back and then cleared his throat and continued on. He felt a sharp flare of anger with a strong undercurrent of worry and fear coming from Haseo but the human didn't respond and instead waited edgily for more information.

Unhurriedly Skeith continued, _Now as I was SAYING, I also found out that the cruise was cut short because of 'computer problems,' power levels were erratic, ship navigation was off, and other stuff like that. It just wasn't safe to keep going until they found out what was going on. When they got to port they ran a full-system virus and anomaly scan and discovered traces of AIDA in several virtual reality events that some of the passengers had participated in, _the Epitaph commented and on one of the screens in front of Haseo a list popped up with the names of Chigusa's parents highlighted in brilliant red.

Leaning forward slightly the teenager frowned as he looked over the information and summary of the specified event, _Wait…I've seen these things advertised before at spa's and vacation getaway places, its one of those "you are in your happy place" things. It uses visual images to induce relaxation and relieve mental stress. A lot of business men go to them. I know my dad does sometimes. I've seen rumors all over the Internet that they use subliminal messaging to affect people's thoughts or something, _Haseo considered and Skeith grunted in confirmation, _Looks like you're not as oblivious to the world as I thought you were brat, _he quipped and the white PC immediately straightened up.

_HEY!_ Haseo fired back angrily and the Avatar merely laughed at his partner's irritation. _Will you be serious about this already!_ the male added crossly and Skeith calmed down and the image disappeared and was replaced with surveillance footage of a group of people sitting in chairs with full wraparound helmets on their heads. The chairs had various wires and cables streaming from them; they looked like something out of a bad horror movie. A small square appeared and the picture zoomed in to focus on one man in particular.

_Well that rumor about subliminal messaging isn't so farfetched after all. Real scientists and researchers have been investigating the theory and found that for the most part it's nothing but wishful thinking and bogus rumors. But other studies HAVE shown that when coupled with sound cues and the right visual images it __**does**__ affect the brain waves of certain people. Alcohol also helps to heighten this effect because it lowers a person's inhibitions, _Skeith explained as one of the side screens flicked over to an image of brainwave activity that jumped and spiked erratically. At the bottom it had the name Ikari Kusaka with notes and warnings about abnormal brainwaves and strange behavior.

Before Haseo could comment on it though Skeith had spoken up again, there was a lot to say and not a lot of time to get it all across. _All of you G.U. members know by now that AIDA affects people's emotions on a conscious and subconscious level, and those viruses are far from stupid, in fact they seem to be getting smarter every time I come across one, _the Epitaph noted with a frustrated grunt.

Moving on he added, _So with Aihane in control he could easily have one of his AIDA fragments alter the machinery so that it would have negative affect on a person's emotions instead. The AIDA influence is strong enough to manipulate a person to the point where they could easily become violent and even dangerous to others around them in the real world. Ikari Kusaka had several sessions and I confirmed that AIDA was present every time. It was especially focused on him, but only another data life form such as myself would be able to tell that without a deeper inspection,_ there was a long tense pause before Skeith spoke up again.

_The fact that Ikari consumed a moderate amount of alcohol before ' plugging himself in' means that the hypnotic, suggestive undertones would be nearly doubled anyway, and with AIDA also doing everything possible to influence him…well… there isn't a doubt in my mind that Aihane is using Ikari Kusaka against his daughter,_ Skeith stated seriously as Haseo clenched his fists tightly in frustration.

With a tense voice the Avatar continued explaining, _Innis told me that Ikari and his wife have been fighting a lot lately with each incident escalating in violence. I also know that the girl confirmed that to you as well. Innis was monitoring that phone call Chigusa received in Tokyo and explained to me that the girl's mother has jumped ship and left home already; most likely for good. So Ikari is no doubt already brimming with rage that he can't fully express, well without being arrested that is, then he goes on this cruise to try and relax only to be affected by AIDA, maybe without realizing it at first, _he commented and then paused for a moment as something caught his attention but he dismissed it and moved on, it was probably just his imagination.

Skeith pulled his attention back to the matter at hand, _Then when Ikari gets back, his wife packs her bags and heads off to who-knows-where, leaving him with a daughter that he already more or less hates. So for him to jump from verbal to physical abuse, especially if Chigusa's mom isn't there to take it and distract him…well let's just say that I've looked up the statistics and I have to say that they aren't pretty kid. You wouldn't believe how many domestic abuse cases the Chiba police receive every DAY,_ he offered and opened up a screen with a bar graph showing the day to day totals for said calls.

_Innis, Macha, and I were listening in when you had that conference with Rhodesia…and well, I don't like to admit it but that woman is right about what she said. The problem is that Aihane knows going after a minor like her outright would be too suspicious and would attract unwanted attention. But if her father were to assault and kill her in a fit of frustration, or maybe even drunken rage… then on the surface at least no one would tie everything together. Most of the neighbors and family acquaintances already know about their family trouble, _Skeith grunted in mild disgust as he explained everything to a silent Haseo.

After a brief moment of silence the Avatar cautiously added, _For Aihane it is the perfect plan and one that has little chance of going wrong. Ikari Kusaka's own personal feelings and emotions were already leading him to this point… and now with AIDA's influence…Aihane's plan __**can't**__ go wrong, _the Terror of Death said hesitantly as he trailed off and fell silent.

Even if he didn't fully understand such emotions the Epitaph still knew how much Ryou cared about Chigusa; in fact Skeith could _feel_ his User's emotions with every fiber of his being no matter where the young man was or what he was doing. Even when the teenager wasn't online they were still linked, bound together by an unexplainable connection. Skeith knew without a doubt that his Master's love for that girl was far stronger then most people, and even Ryou himself, realized. No matter how frustrated he may get with Atoli or Chigusa rather, at times, Ryou would go to the ends of the earth in order to protect her and keep her from getting hurt again.

But at the same time the Epitaph User realized that he couldn't shelter her completely from life's troubles. Just as Ryou hadn't been able to help her that day back when they were in a party together along with Azure Balmung; Aihane had purposely prevented Haseo from summoning Skeith so that Atoli would be forced to fight on her own. That day she had summoned Innis and gone toe-to-toe with that Oswald AIDA on her own and managed to squeeze by okay. But just barely making it in a battle with Aihane wasn't good enough; he was always watching, always waiting for a chance to exploit them somehow. It seemed like forever since that event had occurred but it couldn't have been more then a few months at the most.

Silence stretched on for a long time and Skeith could feel the sudden drop in his partner's emotions. It was like a cup dropping and shattering on the floor, the contrast was startling. Haseo closed his eyes and the Epitaph could feel a wave of pain wash over him as the Adept Rouge clenched his fists in frustration. _What do we do? What CAN we do? I mean I can't just sit here knowing that her life is in danger! _Haseo urged desperately; a clear undertone of panic was rapidly growing in his voice.

Skeith quickly tried to reassure him, _I will talk to Innis and we'll see what we can find out. You should log off and rest, you have been under a lot of stress worrying over this after all… and you still have to go to work in 2 hours. Let me worry about this for the time being. The very moment I find something out I promise you'll know about it,_ the Avatar promised but his words did little to improve Haseo's mood. Sure they fought and argued and seemed to constantly be bickering about something or other, but when it came right down to it, Skeith really didn't like seeing his Master so upset and depressed.

Turning his head away from the screens that Skeith had summoned the Guild Master nodded halfheartedly, _Yeah…okay…,_ was Haseo's quiet and distracted reply. Picking up on his thoughts the Terror of Death added, _I know you're worried but you can believe that Innis is already doing everything she can to keep Chigusa safe and sound. She'll do her best to keep anything bad from happening, _Skeith firmly insisted and finally Haseo let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his neck. _Fine, fine, but…,_ he paused and swallowed hard.

_Just do everything you can okay?_ the teenager pleaded hesitantly and the Avatar sent his User a wave of reassurance before Haseo logged off.

The Home that Skeith was currently looking at immediately went blank for a moment before shifting to another place. Within a fraction of a second the powerful AI was back floating in the black and blue space of an outer dungeon that he had taken over for his own personal use while in The World. The Avatar's would also meet here occasionally to talk about the developing situation with Aihane. Closing his eyes for a moment Skeith sent a message to Innis to meet him here and then sat back and waited patiently for her to arrive.

Sensing a sudden shift in the data Skeith looked over his shoulder to see a "hole" open up in midair before Magus came through. Waving his arm the Propagation closed the data pathway and looked around. "Hey! Didn't expect _you_ to be here, I thought you would be out gathering data or finding another AIDA to sink your claws into," he pointed out cheerfully. Skeith flashed him an 'I don't have time for _you_' look before giving a grunt and turning away indifferently. Skeith was trying to think seriously about what to say to Innis when she arrived here and really didn't want to be bothered at the moment. His talk with Haseo had put a serious damper on his mood. Wise-cracking, sarcasm spewing Skeith was not present at the moment.

At first the Terror of Death had just ignored the other Epitaphs, but pesky Magus just wouldn't go away until the First Phase spoke to him. Finally Skeith had given in and now they were actually on fairly good terms. Of course you wouldn't know that by the way they were always trying to attack each other…literally. Part of the reason was that Skeith just didn't know how to peacefully interact with others.

Being "kind" and "gracious" just didn't come naturally and whenever he was in the vicinity of a fellow Epitaph it usually didn't go very smoothly. Innis had been _tryin_g to help Skeith be nicer to others and sometimes he marveled at the amount of patience she had when dealing with his temper. Often times she would accuse him of acting just like Haseo used to, always having a sharp comment or harsh word to deal out. He WAS getting better little by little and had come quite a ways from the way he had formerly acted…but…he still had a long way to go before anyone would deem him even remotely friendly.

Ignoring all of the warning signs Magus floated over to his side, "Well isn't the air chilly in here today? Get any colder and your going to turn into a block of ice there pal," the yellow-green Avatar commented mockingly as he put his hands behind his head. Whipping around Skeith began glowing an ominous red and Magus backed away with his hands up, "Geez! What's your _problem_?! You're in an even worse mood then usual!" he yelped in surprise as the Terror of Death calmed down and crossed his arms, not giving anything up. But the Propagation was **not **going to be ignored.

Holding his arms out in supplication Magus continued, "Oh, stop being such a wet blanket and tell me what's wrong already, maybe I can help you out," he offered fully ready to help out his "friend" should the need arise; but still his inquiry received no reply from the stoic Avatar. Rolling his eyes Magus waved a hand in front of his companion's face, "Heeeeeeeellllllllllloooooooooooo? Are you in there or not? I _know_ you heard me," he prodded further and Skeith twitched in agitation but continued to remain silent, wishing the overly cheery Epitaph would either go away or implode into a little explosion of numbers or something.

Seeing that his comments were pretty much falling on deaf ears Magus did something that he KNEW would get his companion's attention and most likely earn himself some form of violent retaliation as well, not that the latter was anything unusual. Leaning forward slightly the Propagation reached out and poked Skeith in the side briefly before doing it again…and again…and again.

"WILL YOU CUT THAT OUT!" Skeith finally roared angrily as he whipped out his scythe and swung it at Magus's head. The other Avatar easily ducked the attack and floated just out of range, "All you had to do was answer my question and we would have been just fine now wouldn't we?" was the unabashed reply that was received and Skeith bristled angrily and cocked his blade back, ready to reduce this annoying pest to a useless jumble of one's and zero's.

"Will you boys cut it out? We're here to work together, not blast each other into oblivion," a smooth feminine voice cut in before the Terror of Death could enact his retribution. Looking over they both spotted Innis there watching them. "Speak for yourself," Skeith snapped back as he looked back, flashing Magus a glare of warning. Shaking her head slowly, Innis floated over and placed a hand on Skeith's, silently urging him to calm down. Puffing up with indignation the white Avatar nevertheless recalled his weapon and crossed his arms as he looked away, still highly irritated.

Innis turned to Magus and waved her finger accusingly, "Honestly Magus, one of these days Skeith is going to_ really_ do some damage and I'm just going to sit back and watch it happen," she warned as the Terror of Death turned back and sneered at said Avatar. Ignoring the jibe Magus waved his hand, "All right, all right I know when I'm not wanted," he said in a hurt tone of voice. Skeith snorted and crossed his arms, "Just what ARE you doing here anyway? Did Tarvos beat you into running her errands again?" he questioned mockingly and Magus actually looked embarrassed for a moment.

Scratching his white mask-like face with a sharp finger Magus cleared his throat, "Yeah, well…she just wanted me to give this to all of the other Epitaphs. I was just going to leave them here for everyone to pick up but I can give you both yours right now," he responded as he dropped his hand and summoned a glowing green orb of highly compressed data in his palm before doing the same with his left hand. "It's a new virus program that I've been working on. Tarvos and Pi examined it with me and we think that this should help protect us, at least a little, from Aihane's attacks," Magus explained in a serious tone of voice as Innis reached out and took it, absorbing the information and updating her systems.

Magus extended his hand to Skeith who nodded and did the same. The Terror of Death was statue still for a moment as he allowed the new information to run and operate through his body. He mumbled something under his breath when the task was complete. Frowning at him Innis gave him a harsh elbow and Skeith glared at her, before speaking up, "I said thank you," he hissed as if through gritted teeth. Innis gave a nod of satisfaction, "See? Was that so hard?" she questioned and the First Phase turned away, "Yes" he fired back unrepentantly and she narrowed her eyes but didn't comment on it.

Bowing slightly Magus took his leave, "Well that's all I came here for. Shoot a message my way if you need anything. I'm always willing to come to the aid of a damsel in distress, especially one as pleasant to be with as you," he offered sounding just like his overly flirtatious User, Kuhn, as he looked pointedly at Innis.

The Mirage of Deceit gave a small chuckle and dipped her head to him, "That's very kind of you Magus. I just may take you up on that offer," Innis commented with a lighthearted tone that nevertheless sounded somewhat forced, no doubt from the stress of worrying about Chigusa. Narrowing his red eyes until they were mere slits Skeith felt a sudden flare of irritation and anger towards Magus. True he usually didn't like the Third Phase either way but this was…different, he didn't know why exactly but he just didn't like the avenue this conversation was headed down. Something about the way Innis seemed so comfortable around Magus just didn't sit well with Skeith at all.

Bristling with frustration Skeith darted forward and stated tersely, "If she needs anything I'll handle it _myself_," he emphasized firmly and Magus titled his head in mild surprise but also seemed quite satisfied at the same time. Holding his hands up the Avatar moved away quickly; even he could tell when he had pushed Skeith just a _little_ too far.

"Hey, fine, I get the hint, no need to get all jealous like that man, it was just a joke," Magus said with a definite tone of amusement in his voice as he waved his arm, opening a hole in the data just behind himself. With a cheerful wave of his arm the Propagation slid through the opening, seconds later the hole closed seamlessly leaving the outer dungeon just as it had been.

Grumbling to himself Skeith crossed his arms and turned back to Innis who was staring at him as if she would burst into laughter at any minute. "I am NOT jealous so stop giving me that look already," the white Avatar snapped irately. Innis put a hand to her chin as she gave a small giggle. Tilting her head slightly she dropped her hand and clasped then behind her back, "I never said a word about it now did I?" she questioned with calm reason.

Growling at her Skeith dropped his arms, "Are you done having fun at my expense yet?" he demanded and she cleared her throat and floated over to him, "Don't forget that YOU are the one who called me here. So what did you want anyway?" Innis commented smoothly, diffusing Skeith's anger and at the same time changing the subject. It was a trick she had developed during their long training sessions together; after all _someone_ had to tame the wild beast didn't they?

Skeith relented but not before throwing her a dark look in recompense, "I just wanted to know how things were going on your end with Chigusa…I've told Ryou the scenario and he's justifiably worried. I promised to tell him anything I could about how things were going….so, um…how ARE things going on your end? Did you find her yet?" he questioned and Innis' face dropped and she looked away from him, her calm demeanor suddenly changing to one of depression and worry.

From their time together, for Innis was the only other Epitaph that Skeith could actually stand to be around, the Terror of Death had discovered that the Mirage of Deceit certainly lived up to her name, even at the worst of times she could put up a convincing mask that would fool even Chigusa. For the most part she was the "mother" of the group, always looking out for all of the Avatar's and constantly thinking about the consequences of her actions; in short she was the complete opposite of Skeith who was highly irritable, hated pretty much everyone or at least acted as if he did, and usually acted first before thinking about what might happen later.

Innis was careful and thoughtful and, while prone to dangerous temper flares at times, was always looking out for those she cared about. Skeith had more of a "shoot first, shoot some more, shoot again, and when everyone's dead ask some questions" type, but lately he _had_ been improving in that area. Not much of an improvement maybe but he _was_ trying at least.

Appropriately sensing the change in her mood Skeith moved closer to her, "Innis? Innis what's wrong?" he asked slightly worried by her sudden silence. With a small shake of her head she looked up at him. "Oh Skeith…I can't find _anything_. I've tried contacting her using every method I can think of but _nothing_ works," she emphasized in clear distress as he turned to the side. Waving her arm she summoned several screens showing attendance records from Chigusa's high school, video footage from the streets of Chiba, phone records, recorded text messages, and even clips from the teenager's personal web cam.

As he examined it all Skeith realized that Innis was right…he couldn't find traces of Chigusa anywhere. She hadn't been in school for days, the facial recognition scans of the Chiba streets didn't register anything; the technology had been installed in most big Japanese cities 7 years ago. The cell phone and house phone records showed that she hadn't made or received any calls for the same amount of time, no text messages had been sent and the web cam had a few shots of her and even now showed Chigusa curled up on her bed with her legs drawn up and head down on her knees.

The Mirage of Deceit clasped her hands in front of her, clearly worried, "I've looked everywhere that I can think of, I even altered my voice and called her school's main office but they said she hadn't been in since the Monday after she got back from Tokyo and as you can see nothing else is working. Her cell phone doesn't register any calls because it's been disconnected, not just the service, but the actually phone itself. I think her father Ikari might have destroyed it or something. I _would_ use her computer to talk with her but it's the same thing there. The entire machine is just…" she paused and waved her hand.

"Cut off?" Skeith supplied and she nodded at his choice of words. With a heavy sigh Innis pointed to the current web cam video that was running with the present time ticking off at the bottom, "Even now I can see Chigusa sitting right there but I have no way of really talking to her. It's like she has become a prisoner in that house. I've seen her father Ikari come and go but never her, and he only stays away for a few minutes at a time. I fiddled with the web cam's programming and code but this is about all I can do with it now. Ikari tried to pull the plug but I had already changed the connections so that it should be able to run and record video information for another couple of days before the memory I loaded onto it fills up," Innis added as an afterthought as she continued staring at the image of Chigusa, the girl didn't seem to be moving, which wasn't a very good sign.

With a grave voice she added, "I even found the number of her friend Neinai and hacked into her computer and cell phone to see if she had contacted Chigusa but that didn't turn up anything either," Innis offered helplessly as she looked away in obvious frustration.

Silence hung in the air as Skeith tried to think of a way to help out but could only shake his head in mild frustration; Innis had already tried every avenue that would yield positive and trustworthy results. The words _a prisoner in that house_ were still nagging at his attention and Skeith turned back to her, "Is there another working computer in that house? One that Chigusa might not have access to?" he questioned and Innis perked up for a moment and stared at him before summoning another screen and glancing over it for a moment before nodding to him in confirmation.

Satisfied Skeith explained his theory, "I'm thinking that AIDA's influence might take a while to have its full affect on Ikari, it might not trigger actual physically violent behavior in him until a certain point or a special criterion is met. Perhaps he is still using that computer and being influence by AIDA. Aihane might be trying to burn away Ikari's humanity all together, send him completely insane so that he won't be competent enough to tell anyone what really happened. And even if he did spout off the truth…" Skeith paused and Innis clenched her fists, "He would be so far gone that no one would believe him either way. Aihane wants to make sure that he's in the clear before completing the final stage of his plan," she whispered looking sick as she dropped her head into her hands.

"What am I going to do? I'm supposed to protect her! Keep her safe! I already let down Shino and now I'm going to fail Chigusa as well! I wanted to help her but now I might as well have killed her myself. Oh, this is all my fault, if it wasn't because of me she never would have been caught up in this mess in the first place!" Innis said miserably and Skeith felt a twinge of guilt. He hesitated before reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder.

The Mirage of Deceit did kind of have a point with that one. First Atoli's Epitaph had been stolen and used to send others into a coma, then Sakaki had controlled the girl and used her against Moon Tree, and now Aihane was literally trying to kill her in order to get to Innis.

Feeling awkward and out of his element Skeith nevertheless keep his hand resting there on Innis' shoulder, trying to help in the limited way that he knew how. He knew from experience how much panic he personally had been in when that Scorpius AIDA had shown up in Breg Epona and tried to separate him from Haseo's PC. It was the worst sensation in the world and as much as he disliked the other Avatar's at times, he would _never_ wish that feeling on any of them.

"We'll figure something out Innis…" Skeith tried uncomfortably to reassure her but even to himself the words sounded weak. For the first time he cursed his purely online existence, it WAS up to them to protect their Master's from harm and it was frustrating to realize that at this moment there really and truly was _nothing_ that either of them could do.

* * *

Ryou jumped up from his bed in a cold sweat, some sixth sense screaming that something was _very_ wrong. He had come home from work exhausted and after stripping down to his pants and socks merely flopped down in bed to sleep. The stress from worrying about Chigusa, his Guild Master responsibilities, work, school, whether or not Aihane was going to suddenly ram a car into him or something…it had all built up to a boiling point and the teenager had been forced to rest before his body collapsed on him. He had managed to summon the strength to listen to Skeith as the Avatar explained his talk with Innis. After hearing everything Ryou had vowed to skip school tomorrow and drive to Chiba himself to see if he could find anything. After all there were some things that only a human being could do.

Now though was a different story and he quickly turned on the lights and looked around in a panic but thankfully the only other creature in the room was his pet, Shira who was staring at her owner with a puzzled look on her feline features. Ryou was still trembling and looked down to see that his hands were shaking as well. Every fiber of his being was practically shrieking a warning to him. Rolling out of bed he hurried to his dresser, grabbed a t-shirt and pulled it over his head even as the computer screen flicked on.

"Ryou? What's wrong? I felt the change in your mood…" Skeith began but the teenager cut him off.

"Calculate the fastest route to Chigusa's house!" Ryou barked out as he looked around several times for his sneakers before realizing they were right in front of him. Quickly he grabbed them and pulled them over his socks; tying the laces he continued, "Stop lights, cross roads, interstate, car accidents, traffic, construction, everything! Find out the fastest way to get there at this time from Tokyo at this time of night," he commanded but the computer screen was already running beyond its advertised speed capacity as Skeith complied with his User's order.

Darting over to his lamp stand Ryou grabbed his car keys, wallet, and cell phone as he stopped to take a deep breath to calm his rapid heartbeat as he looked at the alarm clock. It was 1:30 in the morning. But still something was wrong with Chigusa and he needed to find her **NOW**. The young male didn't know how he knew and in fact Ryou really had no solid or even half-way stable basis for believing it, but _something_ inside of him said that the clock had started and time was running out. If he didn't hurry over to her house as fast as he could…then he was_ never_ going to see her alive again.

Seconds later the computer screen lit up showing the highlighted route and other detailed information. At the same time Skeith spoke up, "I have everything figured out. I've taken control of your SUV's computer through the navigation system so if you get in I'll be able to take you there myself," the Epitaph offered and Ryou nodded in distraction as he shut off the light and ran out to the main room. He hurried over and yanked open his front door, pausing long enough to shut and slide the deadbolt in place before turning and rushing down the steps.

For a moment Ryou couldn't remember where he had parked the car, but Skeith had already moved from his User's computer mainframe to controlling the sleek jet-black SUV and there was the sound of an engine starting up as a car over to his right started up and backed up, swinging out of it's parking spot with perfect precision as the headlights flicked on. Switching gears it jerked forward and sped over to where Ryou was standing, coming to a sudden stop and causing the tires to screech slightly as the drivers side door swung open, revealing an empty seat.

Grabbing the door before it could swing shut, Ryou hurriedly jumped into the seat and put his seat belt on even as the vehicle picked up speed again, driving out of the parking lot of the apartment complex and pausing for a moment to let a car go by before pulling out onto the street. For long moments the only sounds were the purr of the engine and the soft blowing of the air conditioner along with Ryou's heavy breathing. After a moment passed the male realized something.

"Since when did _you_ learn to drive?" he questioned as he looked down at the navigation system inlaid into the console. It hitched with static for a moment before settling back to its former screen, showing where the car was and what streets were coming up on the "highlighted route." There was a smug grunt from Skeith, "Pretty much every country has a book or something that you have to look at with all the rules and regulations in it before you get your official drivers license don't they? Well I downloaded that to my inner systems and I've been watching you every time you drove. It's really not that hard," the Avatar commented with a distracted air as they came up to a yellow light.

There was a flicker from the surrounding street lights as the stop light suddenly switched back to green. With a please air Skeith added, "I learned the house location from Innis so we will be in Chiba and at her front door as soon as physically possible," he added confidently and Ryou nodded but that didn't help him relax any. He couldn't stop fidgeting and took a deep breath as he gripped the arm rest. He held it in for a moment before letting it out as he stared at the buildings around him.

After a moment of silence Skeith spoke up again, "Ryou?" he questioned hesitantly and the male turned back to the navigation system that was seemingly doing it's job despite the fact that the Epitaph was now driving. "Yeah what is it?" he replied unable to keep the worry out of his voice. Another pause followed his comment before Skeith continued, "The fact that we're driving to Chigusa's house right now means that you think she's in serious danger; not that she isn't. But…how?" he asked somewhat cryptically and Ryou frowned at that.

"How what?" he asked his worry quickly molding into irritation at not being able to do anything immediately. Skeith seemed to be thinking carefully about how to phrase this question, "How do you _know_ she's in danger right this minute? I mean it's true that her father could attack her at any time but how do you know that Chigusa is in jeopardy **now** when you have nothing to base it on?" Skeith questioned curiously and Ryou was silent as he thought of a way to phrase his reply.

Running a hand through his hair the male said, "For humans…sometimes you just…know something. You don't have any solid basis or reason for it but still you just…know that it's true. People have said that they knew when their relative or friend died even though they may have just talked to them, or they felt that something bad was going to happen and they got into a serious accident later on that day. Science can't really explain it but…sometimes you just…know things. It's not something you can really tell someone else. You just…feel it with every fiber of your being, you know and believe in it even if everyone else says that your wrong," Ryou feebly attempted to explain. With a shake of his head he waved his hand, "I'm not sure I can really explain it to you," he added weakly, not able to take his mind off his girlfriend for a single minute.

Skeith allowed the silence to linger for a moment before speaking up, "No…I think I understand what you mean," he reassured before going quiet again. Turning back to the surrounding city of Tokyo Ryou clenched his fists, _Please God don't let me be late…please let me get there in time to save her,_ he thought desperately feeling a tightness in his chest as he leaned back and closed his eyes, wishing with all his might that he were already there. But for now all he could do was sit back…and trust in Skeith to guide him there safely.

* * *

Aihane smirked in satisfaction as he clicked his mouse, immediately the computer window zoomed in on a black SUV that was driving rather quickly through the streets of Tokyo. The license plate matched his records but the way the red and yellow stop lights were mysteriously flicking back to green provided all the proof he needed. _Sorry Ryou Misaki but you're not going to make it to see Chigusa on my watch,_ he thought wickedly as he pulled a headset on and flipped down the microphone.

For the past week he had been working carefully keeping discreet eyes on Innis as she worked frantically to try and help her Master. But Aihane was no fool and while the first thing the Avatar did had been to notify the police, she was too worried to realize that all of her attempted calls were being monitored and sent down through dummy phone lines that Aihane had set up and was answering himself. No need to have the boys in blue coming over and spoiling his fun after all. Finally Innis had given up on them and turned back to other methods, none of which were working.

Pulling his thoughts from the matter the skilled hacker turned to the computer on his left and brought up a special screen and keyed in a unique data code, one that he hadn't thought he would actually have to use for a while. But if he was able to accomplish one leg of his plans a bit sooner then…he wouldn't complain about it. He waited for a moment until a confirmation screen popped up and then the hacker switched to his current selection of AIDA fragments. Not hesitating he selected three specific ones, fragments that had been waiting a long time to perform this particular errand. He had put them all through special "training" feeding them all the information that they needed to know and making sure he had their unquestioning obedience. All of them were Helen AIDA, the most agile and mobile of all that Aihane had yet discovered. They were perfect for this task.

Turning the sound up he connected the data passage in front of them and immediately they shot forward, traveling through the now opened link that suddenly split, sending each one off to specific machines located in a personal garage in Tokyo, not to far from Ryou Misaki's apartment. The machines in question were a large truck equipped with four-wheel drive and two smaller cars that were clearly intended for street racing more then anything.

Aihane had purchased them just a few weeks ago put a lot of money into them as well but it was the top of the line navigation system that was the _really_ key. They were the same ones that had been recalled months ago for causing traffic accidents and suddenly switching to a different continent or country while driving. AIDA had infected them back then and was doing so now with Aihane's guidance.

"You know your mission and you know your target…" the hacker paused and downloaded a picture and current location of Ryou's vehicle into the cars that he had modified for his personal use. He had never actually intended to drive them…no they were for a much different purpose. When he received confirmation from all of the AIDA fragments in question he nodded in satisfaction. "The Epitaph user of the Terror of Death, Ryou Misaki is in that car and I want him dead. Go after him and smash that SUV to pieces, I don't want a single scrap of metal left by sunrise…is that clear?" Aihane ordered.

"Yes Master" was the reply he got back from the AIDA. Leaning back as a new window popped up showing him a camera view of the garage he was currently renting.

Slowly three doors cranked up revealing the headlights of the cars he had purchased. The truck was the first one out of the dark entrance and it was quickly followed by the street cars as the doors slammed shut behind them. The camera view changed and showed them all driving down the narrow street and quickly picking up speed as they wove in and around traffic. The AIDA controlled vehicles were performing just as Aihane expected them too, better in fact.

_So Skeith has learned how to control his Master's vehicle as well has he? _the hacker thought with a dark smile, _Well I wonder how that Avatar will fare when his driving is REALLY put to the test?_ _And he had better hurry up as well. Ikari's has finally received last of AIDA's influence and now he is on the warpath. If those two don't hurry up there won't be a Chigusa to save. What to do, what to do? _he considered as he threw his head back and laughed with twisted pleasure.

**

* * *

**

**AN:** Well there you go everyone! I made that several pages longer then I normally would have just to make up for the long wait. But then again I'm sure there were plenty of other things keeping you on the edge of your seat!

Now you know what's up with Chigusa's parents, or her dad at least. Mom jumped ship leaving our poor Epitaph user to fend for herself. Innis has hit a wall and can't help out or even call the police because of Aihane's tricks. Ryou is worried to death and knows that _something_ is going on even as he drives out to go and find her. And just what did happen on Chigusa's end anyway? I know you all are wondering about that and I WILL explain so please don't burst forth with a thousand questions okay?

So I also put in some candy for all of you who have wanted to know a little more about the Avatars. You got to see how Skeith, badly, interacts with his fellow Epitaphs. He really is a bit clueless when it comes to dealing with others gracefully. I decided that Magus might be a little more…carefree. Like Kuhn he is friendly outgoing quick to try and make friends, especially of the female variety, and often jokes around. But at the same time he can very serious when he needs to and knows far more then he likes others to see. Overall, a loyal friend, though possibly a bit annoying at times.

Innis has a bit more backbone in her then Chigusa does and always worries about her User. Carefully thinks of the consequences before taking serious action and will always have a helping hand when needed. Prone to sudden mood swings though as you have seen.

There you have it! More info about the Avatars! You finally learn just what the heck is going on with Chigusa's father after her interrupted trip to Tokyo and Ryou proves that he really does have a heart underneath that hard exterior after all. And for the guys who may be reading this story there is even a car chase in the next chapter! See? I have a little something for everyone here don't it?

So thanks a million for, hopefully, being so patient with me and please be kind and review!! I need to hear what you think about the story! Until next time everyone!


	22. Crash and Burn

**AN: **I worked hard to get this out as early as I could for you all so please enjoy! I received an overwhelming wave of support and though I couldn't reply to all of you reviews, I promise that _all_ of your questions will be answered in time. And as one reviewer predicted, one Epitaph User will indeed be leaving the story for good, meaning that a major character death is around the corner people. But who will it be? Surely I wouldn't get rid of Chigusa or Ryou….or would I? But I'm afraid you all will just have to wait around and find out now won't you?

I know the guys of this story have been waiting for their promised car chase and here it is! I don't know how good it will turn out because this is my first attempt at such a thing, but…then again maybe all those hours playing Need For Speed Underground and watching The Fast and The Furious along with 2 Fast 2 Furious will have rubbed off on me hunh?

So read on everyone and feast on what is to come!

Chapter 22: Crash and Burn

* * *

Ryou couldn't help but fidget in his seat as Skeith drove him through the back streets of Tokyo. They were going at a steady pace, but every minute that passed only increased the teenager's worry for Chigusa; if something happened to her…then he would never be able to forgive himself. Tapping his fingers impatiently he sighed heavily and leaned back in the driver's seat, wishing there was some way to get to her house faster. Ryou closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again; he lifted his head and looked down at the navigation system that listed their arrival time as being just over 1 hour from now.

Growling in frustration the young man looked up, his eyes glancing over the rearview mirror for a moment before looking back out through the front window. It took a second before his mind clicked into gear and he realized what was behind him. Immediately Ryou whipped around in his seat and stared for a moment as he saw the two sets of headlights weaving in and out of traffic as they approached at speeds that were no doubt illegal.

The Epitaph User turned around and had just settled himself back in his seat when Skeith suddenly slammed on the brakes. The seat belt locked, holding Ryou in place as the tires screeched. The SUV slide forward a ways, but before it could come to a complete stop the Terror of Death had thrown the vehicle into reverse and was backing up quickly as the cars behind them honked their horns and swung around.

"Skeith! What are you…?!" Ryou began his voice raised in confusion, but he was cut off when a large black truck shot through the intersection the metal "cage" on the front grille slamming full force into a minivan and sending metal and glass everywhere. The van was thrown off to the side and into another car while the truck dodged around traffic before slamming on the brakes and whipping all the way around and lurching forward, racing back towards them. Ryou felt all the blood drain from his face as he realized that that innocent person driving that van would have been him if Skeith hadn't stopped and gone into reverse the way he did.

He opened his mouth to say something but the First Phase cut him off, "Aihane is on to us. He's trying to kill you and keep you from getting to Chigusa in time to save her," Skeith stated seriously as the steering wheel whipped around to the right, sending the vehicle up over the sidewalk and into a side alley. The two street racers, one forest green and the other crimson red that had been following behind them shot past the alleyway, but less then a second later the two vehicles had hit the brakes and turned 180 degrees. Not wasting a minute both spun out for a moment before they headed back towards Ryou.

"GO! GO! GO!" Ryou shouted at Skeith who had already gone back into drive and was pulling out across traffic. The Epitaph swung around to the left and pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor. The teenager was thrown back in his seat as the SUV jumped forward, the speedometer reaching 30 then 40, 50, 60, and 70 miles an hour with the two street racers right on their tail and the large midnight-black truck not far behind them.

The navigation system flashed with different screens as Skeith made different calculations and alterations to their previous route. Finally he said, "Hold on as best you can Ryou, this isn't going to be a pleasant ride," he declared over the speakers as using the brakes at just the right time and turning the wheel to the left, sending them into a high speed drift around a corner and through a red light; Ryou didn't know how Skeith managed to time it just right and avoid the other drivers, but he did it perfectly, and without the slightest hesitation they were speeding down the road again.

Looking up the mirror though Ryou could see that all three cars slide around the corner behind him. They drove close together, drafting in order to use less energy and fuel as they drove. He could hear the sound of police sirens and Ryou looked in the side mirror and saw blue and red lights flashing some distance behind.

_They won't be able to help any. The police will most likely end up crashed on the side of the road themselves the way these guys are driving, _the teenager thought in frustration as he clenched his fist.

With an angry curse Ryou turned back to Skeith, "Who is _driving_ those things?" he asked as they went careening around another corner. There was a slight pause as his Epitaph continued his calculations; having those three on their tail was bad enough, but having to weave in and out of traffic lanes, cars, the occasional pedestrian, and through traffic lights wasn't easy. Finally Skeith spoke up, "No one human if that's what you're asking," he stated tightly, trying to focus as much as he could on driving. He was new at this and those three vehicles following him were clearly quite a bit more experienced.

After a confirmation from a hastily slapped together simulation Skeith added, "I did a check on those cars; their make, model, year, and I also ran picture searches on some of the custom car parts that were on them. Looks like a small garage on the outskirts of Sapporo did the work and customization on them, and then had all three shipped over here to a storage facility, where a man by the name of Suro Masui is paying for space in a total of three garages. I have surveillance footage from the facility in question and I've confirmed that these cars came from there," he stated weaving around a motorcycle that was in the way.

Ryou frowned at the name but before he could ask Skeith added, "And_ no_ that's not Aihane's real name. Suro Masui is a 25 year old man who lives in Osaka. Pulled his bank records too, and I swear, this guy doesn't have enough in his account to buy a bicycle much less three new cars and then more on customizing them like this. But he _does_ have excellent credit and more then likely Aihane just stole his identity and after using his own funds, used this unsuspecting man's name to hide everything. When the cops finally pick up the trail they're going to track down this guy in Osaka and _not_ Aihane. Not a bad plan…if you're a criminal that is," Skeith explained as he headed to the ramp leading to the interstate.

The street widened slightly as it led up to a toll way that breached the road just before opening up onto the highway. Still going at well over 50 miles an hour Skeith moved over to the lane reserved for prepaid tolls. The light turned green and the gate pulled up seconds before the SUV shot underneath it. The gate had only moved up part of the way and lurched back down as the three pursuing cars came speeding up. The two street racers that had spread out, dropped back and fell into line behind the black truck. The large vehicle sped up and slammed through the wooden bar at 60 miles an hour, shattering it and sending splinters flying everywhere as it blew past with the smaller cars right behind it.

Three police vehicles were right behind them and Ryou could even hear a police helicopter somewhere overhead. _Great, this is going to be all over the news stations by dawn…I just hope mom and dad don't see this, because I will be SO dead if they do, _he thought sinking down into his seat with a small groan of dismay. Skeith heard his sound of distress and knew immediately what his User was thinking, "Hey, at least you'll be famous now right?" he teased and Ryou frowned at that. "Just shut up and drive will you? We don't have time for your smart remarks," he shot back and Skeith chuckled with amusement at that as he continued around a corner.

Ryou clenched his jaw in frustration as his car sped down the highway, switching lanes and diving through traffic at life threatening speeds as Aihane's tricked out cars did the same right behind him. It was frustrating to be powerless like this but at the same time Ryou trusted Skeith completely, which was a good thing considering that at the moment he really didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

Looking back down at the navigation system that his Avatar had hacked, Ryou said, "How are we supposed to stop them?" he questioned and Skeith snorted scornfully at that comment as he continued to try and focus on his driving skills.

With a testy grumble the Terror of Death responded, "WE are not going to do anything. What YOU are going to do is sit in that seat and pray that I don't make a mistake and get you hit. Meanwhile I'M going to try my best to come up with a way to crash those three vehicles and reduce them to little scraps of metal on the roadway. Aihane is using his AIDA fragments to control those cars and they're not going to stop until either they, or us, is smashed to pieces and left for dead," Skeith told him in an irritable voice but then paused as the navigation system map switched to an overhead view and zoomed in on a truck station that was just 3 miles ahead of them.

The teenager stared at the screen but didn't have time to ask questions as the two street racers hit the accelerator, one pulling up on each side of the SUV and keeping pace with it.

Suddenly Skeith hit on the brakes and Ryou braced himself against the dashboard as they went shooting backwards. At the same time both of the pursuing cars wrenched over towards them, trying to slam into the jet-black vehicle and pin it between them. Instead they came together and stopped just inches before smashing into one another. The truck behind them sped up, crashing into the SUV's back bumper as the forest green street racer swung suddenly to the left, causing its back end to ram the front of Ryou's car.

The steering wheel turned furiously back and forth as the Avatar tried to compensate, but the crimson red street racer on the right slowed down before jerking the other way just as the first had done. Its back end slammed into the side of the SUV breaking the passenger side mirror in the process before pulling away and then swinging back their way and hitting them again. There was a deep groan as the metal door bent inwards from the force and the wheels screeched as they lost traction.

Grabbing the armrest for support Ryou hung on as the dark green street racer slammed into the left side of the vehicle once again. This time Skeith couldn't compensate and the SUV spun around from the impact, just barely managing to miss the front of the black truck. The AIDA powered vehicle slammed into them again sending them spinning back towards the police cars that were following behind them. Ryou couldn't help but flinch as the police cars slammed on the brakes and swerved around them, barely managing to get out of the way as the jet-black vehicle slammed into the wall separating the two halves of the road, smashing the other mirror and ripping it off the car.

Leaning away from the window Ryou yelped in surprise as the car wavered on the road, "Whoa! Watch it Skeith! Humans are fragile in case you haven't heard!" he cried out as Skeith directed the SUV away from the wall and back into the highway lane where it quickly regained momentum and in moments had gone speeding around the police cars who tried to slow him down and pull him over to the side of the road.

The First Phase of course ignored their tactics and continued around the police, increasing the SUV's speed more and more. Before long they were right back up where the AIDA vehicles were. The navigation system flashed with static as two green arrows showed up behind the blue one that indicated the black automobile's current position.

Ryou glanced at the screen but was too worried about getting hit again to think much about what he saw there. With a slight wince the teenager finally managed to loosen his seat belt a little so it didn't feel like he was choking anymore. His shoulder was aching a little from where he had slammed it against the window. "Just try your best to be more careful with me would you? We need to get to Chigusa's house in one piece," he reminded and Skeith grunted in acknowledgement at that.

After a short pause the Epitaph finally said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to get you killed. Now just hold on and watch as I take out Aihane's plan piece by piece," he stated smugly as Ryou noticed a distinct rumbling coming up from behind them. Turing around in the drivers seat the teenager stared and saw two truly massive 18-wheelers driving up behind them. The teen had seen one's just like them a few times before when long concrete beams were being transported so that repairs could be made to the Rainbow Bridge.

The police had had to stop traffic 3 miles ahead all along the truck's route so that they could drive without having to slow down for stop lights or traffic. The Semi's were so huge that there was literally _no way_ that they would be able to stop if they encountered a problem. They were almost twice the length of a normal 18-wheeler, or they seemed to be at least. The ones coming up now had empty flatbeds, but they were still heavy enough to smash to pieces anything that got in their way, and then keep on rolling for miles.

The police cars that were still tailing them were forced to get out of the way as the Semi's sped forward. The street lights flashed over the front windshields and Ryou could see that there was nobody driving either of them. Ryou couldn't help but tense as he was plagued with bad memories. When he was a little boy he'd had a terrible experience with a Semi and had never quite managed to completely get over it.

Skeith picked up on his User's worry but didn't have time to spend trying to calm the teenager. Instead he spoke up and said, "Those two transport trucks are under my control and they're essential for this part of my idea. Now this next part is going to be difficult and I need you to be ready to take control at any minute so I can focus on taking Aihane's toy cars out of commission," he explained and Ryou nodded as he shifted his position and put his hands on the wheel and his foot on the accelerator just in case.

The engine whined as the jet-black SUV sped up until its front end was just a few feet in front of the forest green street racer on the left. Looking in the mirror he could see one of the 18-wheelers pull over, staying behind and to the right of the AIDA infected automobile. Immediately Ryou knew what Skeith was planning and braced himself just in time as his Avatar spoke up, "Number one!" Skeith piped in as the car swung to the right, its back end slamming into the smaller vehicle at the same time as the Semi cut its tires to the right as well.

The street racer spun around from the impact and slid sideways a few feet; the AIDA controlling it tried to compensate and get out of the way but it was already too late to do anything. At 80 miles and hour and speeding well over the posted speed limit the Semi slammed into the forest green vehicle; glass and metal shards flew everywhere as the automobile Aihane had send after the Epitaph User was literally shredded and pulled apart. The back bumper flew off and disappeared underneath the massive truck's wheels and in seconds the front fender had ripped off as well. The tires blew apart and sparks flew everywhere as the small car was dragged along the road.

When the front tires blew out the street racer jerked to the side and was finally freed from the crushing force of the Semi that had slammed into it, but the other 18-wheeler was still waiting just behind the first one, and as the green racer spun away and fell back it was caught by the second one and the already twisted wreckage was hit once again and this time what remained of the car was ripped into two pieces. Half of the debris shot away and crashed into the roof a police car, stopping it dead in its tracks as the other two swerved around it. The Semi jumped and bounced as the other piece vanished underneath its tires and then behind it and into the empty interstate. Traffic must have been cut off because there were no other cars on the road.

Meanwhile the black truck that was being controlled by AIDA sped up so that it could stay ahead of the chaos behind it. Skeith was using every trick in the book to avoid the crimson red street racer as it swerved all over the road trying its best to run the SUV off the road. There was a sudden gun shot from behind and Ryou whipped around to see a policeman leaning out of the car and shooting at the tires of the street racer. The man paused for a moment, carefully aiming between the two 18-wheelers before firing off another shot from his pistol. This one hit home and the crimson car fought to keep control and stability as smoke flew everywhere, the rubber burning and shredding from the high speeds.

Ryou was distracted from the sight when Skeith said, "Take control for a moment while I get rid of the next one," he ordered and before the teenager could protest the SUV started slowing down and drifting towards the median wall. Reacting immediately Ryou grabbed the steering wheel and his foot slammed down on the accelerator as he straightened his car back out.

Behind him the Semi farthest back sped up until it was driving parallel with the first one. The AIDA controlling the crimson street racer was trying as best it could to keep going but when one of the back tires suddenly wobbled and then blew out it started slowing down and fell back between the two18-wheelers. Not waiting for Aihane's "toy car" to slide past, Skeith directed the massive trucks and they swung together instantly, they're huge weight crushing and flattening the small car like it was a piece of paper.

Sparks shot out like fire and smoke poured out everywhere as the two flatbed trucks dragged the small car along like it was nothing more then a leaf in the wind. With another order from the Avatar the two hacked, runaway, Semi's pulled apart just enough to let the street racer drop back but it ricocheted back and forth between the two before slipping under one of the trucks and getting caught by the back tires. The smell was horrible and a cloud smoke flew across the interstate lanes as the small vehicle continued to shred from the force and propulsion of the thick tires.

The back of the truck lifted up into the air before coming straight down on the street racer, ripping apart the rest of the wreckage and sending it shooting out all across the highway. One of the police cars managed to avoid the wreckage but the other wasn't so fortunate and its front end was smashed to pieces and it was forced to pull over as the twisted metal hit it.

Ryou sighed with relief and closed his eyes for a moment before looking back up. Leaning forward he was surprised to see the black AIDA controlled truck swerve across the lanes and off onto the exit ramp. At the same time one of the 18-wheelers peeled off and followed behind as the last police car hesitated before following along with the other two.

Frowning slightly the teenager looked down at the clock and was shocked to see that over an hour had passed since this car chase had first begun and they were already almost in Chiba City. Glancing down at the GPS screen Ryou could see that Skeith had manipulated the navigation system so that it was now showing a satellite view of Chiba, with a red dot marking the AIDA vehicle, a green one for the Semi that he still had following it as well as for the one just behind them, a dark blue one for the police car and then two purple lines with a bright orange dot where they intersected.

Narrowing his eyes Ryou was clearly suspicious, "Skeith…what are you planning?" he demanded and it took a moment before the Avatar responded. "Um…nothing?" he responded sounding sheepish. Crossing his arms the teenager fixed the screen with a glare before realizing how silly he must look; shaking his head Ryou pinched his nose in frustration.

With a strangled cry of annoyance and impatience Ryou tapped his fingers on the arm rest, "Do I really want to know what your planning this time?" he questioned and there was a moment of silence as Skeith slowed down and directed the SUV through the next exit with the other Semi right behind them its brake lights flashing as began slowing down. The hush stretched on until the First Phase finally responded, "Uh…no…probably not…definitely not," he replied awkwardly as he continued driving and around a corner while the Semi continued going straight ahead.

Thinking for a moment Ryou decided between trying making his Avatar tell him what was going on up in that twisted head of his, or just trusting the Terror of Death and remaining blissfully in the dark. After thinking back on all the trouble and stress Skeith had been putting him through Ryou ultimately decided on the latter. Instead of prying Skeith for more detailed information the teenager looked around the busy streets but Aihane's vehicle was nowhere in sight.

Ryou looked at the digital clock and then at his watch, staring at it for a moment as the seconds ticked by. With a frustrated growl he looked away and stared out of the window at the buildings and apartments around him.

_Chigusa…_ he thought as worry gnawed away at him. No matter what he did he couldn't stop thinking of all the worst possible scenarios, everything that could and might go wrong was flashing through Ryou's head. _I just hope she's okay…I'll __**never**__ be able to live with myself if I don't get there in time to save her,_ he thought running a hand through his hair.

Whether online as Haseo, or offline as her friend and boyfriend, Ryou had _always_ been there to protect her and keep her safe. And now that he wasn't able to do so it was driving him crazy. Ryou needed to _see_ Chigusa with his own eyes, to hold her, touch her, and assure himself that his girlfriend was really safe.

He was distracted when the SUV turned around another corner and then stopped suddenly. Sitting up straighter Ryou looked down at the navigation screen and saw that at some point the police car had stopped moving, most likely another accident due to AIDA. Not only that, but one of the purple lines had a green dot at each end marking the spot where each massive 18-wheeler was while the intersecting purple line had a red dot at one end and at the other was the location of Ryou's SUV.

As he stared at the screen Ryou immediately knew what his Avatar was planning, "No! Forget it Skeith it's too dangerous!" he shouted his heart slamming in his chest as he remembered that day when he was just a child. Still the Epitaph ignored his Master's orders and instead the engine roared and the car leaped forward the speedometer climbing as they gained speed. On the navigation screen Ryou could see that the 18-wheelers had started moving towards each other as well. The red dot marking the AIDA vehicle was blocks away but moving towards the teenager's vehicle with increasing velocity.

Fighting down his panic Ryou spoke up again, "This isn't going to work Skeith! There is no way AIDA will fall for it!" he said again trying to push the horrible memories away. The screeching tires, the twisted metal, his mom's van being hit in the side and rolling over, his little sister screaming in pain, and the horrible smell of gasoline from the ruptured fuel tank. With a shudder Ryou shook his head, forcing the images from his mind as the last AIDA controlled vehicle drew closer to them, its headlights glaringly bright on the near empty streets.

Forcefully ignoring the bad memories, Ryou refocused his attention and realized that Skeith, or possibly the Chiba City police, must have diverted traffic somehow for there to be this few cars on the road.

Gripping the arm rest Ryou looked down at the navigation system and the little colored dots that would all intersect in just a few more seconds. He knew what Skeith was planning and he did NOT agree with it. The Avatar was trying to bait the AIDA into a trap; Skeith was hoping that the virus would swerve away at the last minute to avoid a crash. If it did that then the vehicle would go barreling past them and straight into the jaws of the two onrushing 18-wheelers. But what if the AIDA didn't direct the car out of the way?

If this idea didn't work then Ryou was dead. There was no way he could survive a head on collision at…the teenager glanced down at speedometer and saw that it had leveled out at 120 miles per hour. The engine was roaring as it thrummed with power.

15 seconds left.

Ryou couldn't help the tight feeling in his chest and the worrying thought that maybe Skeith was _wrong_.

14 seconds left.

What if the Avatar's plan failed?

13 seconds left.

What if Skeith's calculations were off?

12 seconds left.

What if Aihane succeeded?

11 seconds left.

What if Chigusa didn't survive?

10 seconds left.

Ryou shook his head and pushed those thoughts from his mind.

**9** seconds left.

He and his Avatar often disagreed, argued, and bickered like there was no tomorrow, but in the end…Skeith was his partner…his friend…his equal…and Ryou knew that the Epitaph would NEVER deliberately put him in the path of danger unless it was _absolutely_ necessary.

**8 **seconds left.

Taking deep breath the teen stared through the window at the oncoming vehicle.

**7 **seconds left.

It was now or never. If this didn't work then Skeith _wouldn't_ get a second chance to do it.

**6** seconds left.

"Skeith?" Ryou finally said his voice tight with tense expectation.

**5 **seconds left.

There was a brief pause.

**4** seconds left.

"I trust you," Ryou finished sincerely before sucking in a deep breath as the light ahead of them flashed to green.

**3 **_seconds left._

Skeith's deep voice was calm and unwavering, "And I promise I'll **never** give you a reason to do otherwise," he vowed resolutely.

_**2**__ seconds left._

The AIDA vehicle was screaming towards them and Ryou could see through the windshield and into the empty driver's seat.

_**1 second left.**_

The night sky and the blazing white street lights cast and eerie glow on the street as the SUV passed through the large intersection and across to the other side. Yards of pavement were eaten up in less than a second as Ryou braced for impact as best he could.

_**Time's up.**_

Less then 10 feet left between them and suddenly the AIDA controlled vehicle jerked to the right, its tire's screeching and leaving thick marks along the roadway as it curved around them. The two cars were close enough that Ryou could look through the glass and see the steering wheel turning furiously as the truck hastily swerved away in order to avoid what would be a horrible collision.

Metal screeched and tore as the two vehicles slide together, their sides ripping deep gouges in the other as they passed. Both were thrown off balance and Skeith hit the brakes just right and sent the SUV spinning around 180 degrees. Their speed and momentum, however, meant that the car continued sliding backwards as the Avatar threw the gears into reverse in order to avoid lessen the stress that was being put on the engine.

As they came around just in time for Ryou to see the AIDA hacked vehicle pass into the center of the intersection, its back end fishtailing as the tires fought to gain traction on the road. The teenager caught sight of the two huge tractor trailers before they slammed full force into one another, with Aihane's customized and AIDA possessed truck right between them.

Metal ground together as the massive machines pressed together in a horrible explosion of glass and steel. The truck disappeared beneath the mass of the two 18-wheelers and huge chunks ripped away and slid everywhere as both Semi's pushed against each other, their speed and momentum continued to tear into each other until they finally were forced to come to a grinding halt, gasoline was pouring everywhere and there was a muffled THUD before the engines exploded in blast of heat and fire. The force of the explosion sent pieces of broken and warped metal flying dozens of feet.

Seeing as they were still relatively close to the collision the SUV was peppered with glass and smaller pieces of metal as the second Semi caught fire and, what Ryou assumed was the front end, exploded as well. The flames were so bright that the teenager was forced to shield his eyes from the glare as the blaze reached for the sky and embers fell back down, igniting the gasoline that had leaked out and was spreading across the road. Blue tongues of fire raced along the street, searching out all of the flammable liquid.

The smell was foul and reeked of burning gas, rubber, and heated metal. Coughing from the stench Ryou tried not to breathe through his nose as Skeith continued depressing the brakes, bringing his User to an almost gentle stop. Relief immediately washed over the male and he sighed heavily as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, enjoying the fact that he was still alive and in one piece. His body no doubt had several bruises from the car chase but otherwise Ryou was okay.

The sound of police sirens snapped the teen out of his daze and he looked down at the navigation system. The screen wavered for a moment as everything cleared off of the display before an orange line popped up, showing where they were supposed to go now. The steering wheel moved silently as Skeith turned the car around and headed off, going down several side streets before pulling out into a busy highway. The sight of a badly damage, scratched, metal gouged car certainly drew some suspicious stares, but Ryou ignored them and focused instead on getting his breathing and heart rate back to normal.

Skeith had guided him safely here to Chiba City and foiled one of Aihane's plans in the process. Now they just needed to get to Chigusa's house as soon as possible.

_I will NEVER complain about Skeith annoying me again,_ Ryou vowed in exhausted relief as he swallowed hard and continued watching the display that was set into his dashboard. It would take an estimated 12 minutes to get to Chigusa's place at the rate they were going. Now he could only pray that they were still in time to help.

* * *

Chigusa knew that this was the end for her. There was no way she was going to make it out alive. Already her body was beaten and broken from her father's rage and she knew that he was far from done. It had to be AIDA's influence that was doing this to him, but there was nothing Chigusa could do to stop it. After coming home from that cruise her mother had already been gone and father, Ikari, had placed her on lock down. The man had pulled her out of school without warning, cut off each and every potential form of communication that was in the house, and refused to let her out of his sight for more then a few minutes at a time. The Epitaph User knew that Innis was already doing everything she could to try and get help, but so far…Chigusa had been forced to fend for herself.

Ikari had always been verbally and emotionally abusive, but after coming back he had started hitting and slapping her for the smallest of irritations. Several times she had tried to get out of the house, away from him and away from Chiba completely if possible, but every time he had found out and stopped her attempts, in turn the punishment he doled out was worse and worse each time he caught her trying to escape. Somehow Aihane had gotten to him, and while Chigusa didn't know all the details of how this had been accomplished, that was the least of her worries at the moment.

She was pulled from her thoughts when her father stalked back into the room, a huge blood stained carving knife still in his right hand as he moved towards where she was cowering in the corner, "You think your clever don't you? Think you're just going to sneak out while I'm here do you?!" Ikari snarled his eyes crazed and bloodshot. Chigusa gasped and backed up as far as she could against the wall and a flare of agony shot up through her body as a result.

Two fingers on her left hand were unquestionably broken; her right shoulder was dislocated and useless. Her left ankle was sprained and Chigusa had heard something snap in her knee as well. Her back was covered with bruises, and the left side of her face was discolored and swollen almost beyond recognition. Her neck was black and blue and had a deep open wound that was still bleeding steadily from where Ikari had choked her and then taken that same carving knife to her. It was a miracle her father hadn't killed her then and there with that slash across the neck, but as it was Chigusa found herself unable to talk; whether from his hands or the metal blade was uncertain.

Ikari grinned with insane delight as he raised the knife, "You're nothing but a useless sack of garbage that no one else wants. I'm doing the world a favor by getting rid of you. My only regret is not doing this sooner," he chuckled madly as he leaned forward; ready to stab her in the heart, ending her life once and for all.

Chigusa gave a choking grunt but was powerless to stop her father. _I'm sorry Ryou…I always cause you so much trouble don't it?_ she thought with a mixture of fear and despair as she watched the blade slice through the air towards her.

Chigusa wanted to close her eye, but her mind was numb from shock and she could only watch in horror. Suddenly Ikari was thrown to the side and the knife went clattering across the wood floor as the man shouted in surprise and punched at his attacker. Frozen in terror it took the girl a minute to realize what was going on. _Who…?_ she thought vaguely, her thoughts muddled together as pain overrode everything else.

"Keep your filthy hands off her!" a young male voice shouted angrily as wrapped his arms around Ikari's neck and bent his head backwards as the older man fumbled around for the weapon he had lost. Both struggled and finally Ikari's heavier body won out; twisting his arms around he knocked off his attacker and delivered a swift and punishing blow to his ribs. With a grunt the teenager winced and gasped for breath but didn't let that stop him as he climbed to his feet and swung his fist around, landing a solid blow to Ikari's jaw. There was an audible crack as the man stumbled back a step before narrowing his eyes in fury, looking around he spotted the knife and tried to leap towards it, only for the teenager to grab at his feet, bringing him down a few feet from his goal. Turning around Ikari roared with fury as he brought his foot up under the boy's jaw, snapping his head back and knocking him away.

Chigusa's mouth opened and closed but only a weak gurgle passed over her lips as she saw the stranger's face realized who it was. _Ryou! But how…when…is he really here? _she thought in relief before fear replaced it. Her father would kill Ryou without the slightest hesitation or remorse. Feebly she raised her left arm towards her boyfriend, but knew in her heart that her efforts were worthless.

Ikari scrambled over and grabbed the knife before getting up in a crouch. That kick he had delivered to Ryou's jaw had done the trick and the Epitaph User had slammed his head on glass coffee table on his way down to the floor.

Groaning in pain the teenager clutched his head, and as Ryou brought his hand away, staring at it dizzily, Chigusa could see that his hand was bright red with blood. Ikari leaped from his crouch and seeing, the armed man coming towards him, Ryou rolled onto his stomach to try and push himself up so he could defend himself.

But it was already too late.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Ikari pushed his foot down onto Ryou, using his weight to keep the teenager down on the floor, despite his fierce struggling. There was a wild light in the man's eyes as he raised the carving knife back to her shoulder…before leaning down and slamming it straight down into Ryou's back.

His body stiffened immediately and the teenager opened his mouth as if to scream in pain, but his voice was silent; Ryou's eyes widened in shock, before closing in unbearable agony. A harsh wheeze stuttered out of his mouth and his hands tightened and dug into the floor beneath him as his muscles contracted and trembled. A violent shudder wracked his body as Ryou choked and coughed up blood. Helpless he could only lay there in unimaginable pain as Chigusa looked on in shock and horror at what had just happened.

Lifting her eyes she met her father's unrepentant gaze and Ikari actually grinned as he wiggled the knife a little before standing up and lifting up the bottom of his shirt as he reached for something on his belt.

_NO! Please don't hurt him!_ Chigusa screamed in her mind, but her throat was incapable of forming the words as her father pulled the gun out of his belt and cocked it with an ominous click. Ikari glanced over at his daughter as he aimed the muzzle at Ryou's head, "Hope you said your goodbyes; because this is the _last _time your ever going to see your precious boyfriend alive," the man stated crazily as his finger tightened on the trigger.

Chigusa wanted to throw something at her father, to tackle him, or beg for Ryou's life, but instead she was forced to just sit there and watch.

_No…please…__**anything**__ but this,_ she thought as tears fell down her cheeks.

Ryou managed to lift his head and turn it to the side a few inches as he tried to look up at Ikari, at the same time the adult pulled the trigger and the crack of gunfire echoed through the house as the teenager slumped down, blood seeping onto the floor from the wound on the side of his head.

A sudden SLAM resonated from the front door and police lights flashed through the windows as footsteps came closer. Four police officers shot in through the door and whipped around quickly when they spotted Ikari standing in the living room. Immediately their eyes went to the gun in his hand and Ryou's inert body lying lifeless on the floor underneath him, the knife still sticking out of his back. A quick glance over at Chigusa's battered form was all that they needed to see in order to take action.

Turning on them Ikari raised his pistol to fire it, but one of the police officer's was faster she whipped out her gun and aimed it at him as all of the others ducked for cover. The man managed to shoot off a few rounds that hit the entranceway and the wall behind the officials, before the woman pulled the trigger, catching him with a bullet in the chest.

Staggering backwards Ikari clutched his chest in pain but still tried to shoot again, the woman frowned and shot him again in the arm that he was holding the gun with. This time he dropped the weapon and fell to his knees. In his crazed anger Ikari reached out with his other arm to try and reclaim his pistol but the rest of the police officers jumped into action, two forcing him down to the ground while the other kicked the gun out of his reach.

"Hold still! Or we'll be forced to use further measures to restrain you!" on officer called out as Ikari continued to struggle. Two more policemen came in through the front door and one went over to help keep Ikari from getting away while the woman stood up and put her gun back in its holster. She walked over to Ryou and hesitated for a moment before a man with wavy red hair came up and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll check him out, you see how the girl is doing," he advised with a nod in Chigusa's direction. The woman nodded and quickly strode over to where she was huddled against the wall. Chigusa could hear someone calling for an ambulance to come, but it didn't quite register in the young woman's mind. Her eyes were still fixed on Ryou's body.

_He shot him…he really shot him,_ was the only thought in Chigusa's head and the instant replayed over and over in gruesome detail. It was branded into her memory and it was a moment she knew she would _never_ be able to forget.

Her vision was blocked when the police officer crouched down in front of her and with cautious fingers lifted her chin to examine the gaping wound on her neck more closely. With a dismal look on her face the woman brushed Chigusa's hair back and blanched when she saw the amount of swelling and damage on the young lady's face.

"Hey! Hey, there honey are you still with us?" the policewoman asked gently and finally Chigusa blinked and turned to stare at her through her one good eye, but her vision was obscured by tears and the blood that had streaked down into her eyes from a shallow cut on her temple. For a moment Chigusa just looked at her before lifting her left arm slowly, her hand and broken fingers earnestly stretched out in Ryou's direction as she saw something that she just knew had to be impossible.

Looking over to where Chigusa was trying to point, the woman's face softened. Turning back the lady shook her head slowly, "I sorry but he's…." she began but stopped when the teenager shook her head slowly and gave a gasping grunt as she continued pointing.

Frowning slightly the policewoman turned around and gave a sharp gasp as she saw what Chigusa's gaze was just barely managing to make out.

Ryou's eyes were open.

The red haired man who had spoken to her earlier had his hand on Ryou's neck and looked up at his partner in shock, "He's still alive! I don't know how but that bullet must not have gone all the way through his skull or something," he said as he turned to one of the other officers and shouted at them to send another ambulance.

Chigusa let out a wheezing breath as she closed her eye, _He's alive…oh, thank God Ryou's alive,_ she thought in weary relief as her body slid sideways to the floor. Her mind barely registered when the policewoman reached out and caught her. Why was her body going numb all of sudden? It was just…so hard…to…think.

"Hey! Stay with me girl! Come on stay awake!" the voice seemed urgent but so far away and Chigusa was so _tired_.

"Kaime! She's loosing a lot of blood from her neck! Get me some towels! We have to stem the bleeding until the ambulance gets here!" the same voice called out again as Chigusa drifted farther and farther away.

_I…need to…stay…awake…can't…fall…asleep,_ Chigusa thought wearily, but she was just to tire to fight the darkness any longer and her body went limp as she fell into unconsciousness.

**

* * *

**

**AN: **Now I'm sure some of you will are shocked by the ending/cliffhanger that I put into this chapter. Most of you probably didn't think I would do such a thing to Ryou and Chigusa now did you? Well sorry everyone but you WERE warned. I said things were going to go down hill and they are.

In any case Ryou is alive…for now…but that doesn't mean he's out of the woods yet, and Chigusa isn't much better off then he is. So angry as you all might be at me for doing this I'm afraid you will just have to wait around to see what becomes of them now won't you? By the way aren't guns outlawed in Japan? I think they are but I'm not sure, if anyone could tell me I would greatly appreciate it. :)

Now on another note my parents were away for a few days so after making the decision to push off my College work until later, I hunkered down and started typing furiously to get another update out quickly to you all. Hope you enjoyed the tension in this chapter! I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to do this one. So exciting wasn't it?

So please go down, press that pretty button and leave a review telling me how much you loved the chapter, hated the ending, or screaming at me to update quickly so you can find out what happens next. Either way please REVIEW!


	23. Anatomy and Physiology

Chapter 23: Anatomy and Physiology

* * *

There were voices all around him, urging him to…to…to do what?

Ryou twitched as the pain that had been wracking his body began to fade, leaving only a dull ache that radiated from somewhere in his back. A part of his fuzzy brain said that sign was surely a bad one, while the other part struggled to figure out why that fact was even important in the first place. His thoughts were sluggish and every minute that passed only made it harder to think and focus.

The teenager could feel pressure on his shoulder; was someone trying to talk to him? It sounded like that might be the case, but everything he heard was strangely muffled and distant, as if they were speaking to him from a long distance away. Ryou closed his eyes for a moment, wanting nothing more then to rest but not a second later his eyes popped open again as a bright light suddenly burned into his retinas; feebly he tried to move away from the brightness but his arms barely twitched.

It seemed like forever before the illumination faded and Ryou's eyes came back into focus again, and when they did he stared at a figure slumped against the wall in front of him for at least a minute before realizing who it was.

_Chi…gusa? But what…?_ Ryou considered before his mind turned over and clicked into gear. _That's right…Chigusa…was…danger…I…came to…help…her?_ he thought dimly as his eyes began to close once again. Skeith had driven him here so that he could rescue her from her father Ikari. Ryou had jumped the guy before he could do more damage to Chigusa but then Ikari turned and stabbed Ryou in the back with a knife…literally.

_Some…rescue…didn't…her dad…shoot me?_ The injured teenager mulled over hazily before everything went dark.

* * *

"Kid! Hey come on wake up!" Fiona shouted urgently but the boy lying in front of her barely twitched in response. She muttered a curse under her breath as she evaluated his condition. The police were currently examining the black SUV that this teenager had rolled up in to see if they could find a drivers license or some other form of ID.

Meanwhile the young male's head was a mess and there was an obvious wound where the bullet had entered his skull. The entire left side of his face was red and it had taken forever to finally stem the bleeding that was coming from his head. He had managed to stay awake until the ambulance arrived, but after that the blood loss had made Ryou Misaki pass out. They had to get him to the hospital NOW so he could get the treatment he needed.

_It's a good thing I've got a strong stomach, _the EMT thought bitterly as she looked over at her partner who was looking rather pale himself. With a scowl she snapped at him to get his mind back where it belonged, "Asaki! Pay attention!" she barked and he shook his head vigorously before swallowing hard. He had just passed the exams and this was only his third time being on a real call.

Fiona kept her gaze on him, "This kid needs all the help he can get, if you can't keep your head in the game then get out!" she warned harshly but Asaki shook his head as he handed her the neck brace. Quickly she grabbed it from her partner and, with extreme care, lifted the young man's head just enough to get the hard plastic support around his throat.

Satisfied she waved over Asaki who had run out and now returned with a back board. With this teenager's condition they couldn't take any chances. There was no telling how close that knife blade was to puncturing one of his lungs…if it hadn't already that is.

Fiona glanced up and took in the scene around her; Ikari had already been removed from the house and put into an ambulance. Even now she could hear the vehicle driving off with a police car following along as an escort. This whole crime scene reeked of trouble and Fiona was highly suspicious, they had been driving back to the hospital listening to the whole mess unfold on the radio when they had gotten the call to come here. Something strange was definitely up with these people but that was for the police to figure out. Right now she had a teenager's life in her hands.

"Skeith…" the weak voice pulled her from her thoughts and the experienced EMT quickly looked back down as she heard that voice. A few of the police looked over as well at the sound.

With a harsh wheeze to his voice the kid, apparently conscious, spoke up again, "Skeith…" he groaned weakly his voice just above a whisper but loud enough to attract attention.

Fiona frowned as the teenager's eyes twitched and then opened halfway. Leaning forward she tried to get his attention, "Hey kid! Kid! Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?" she questioned but the hazy, glazed look in his expression said that he wasn't seeing anything in front of him. Asaki reached up to the young man's neck just under the neck brace and his lips moved slightly as he stared at his watch, counting off the teen's pulse.

The red haired policeman who had backed up to let the EMT's do their job moved forward was walking over again, "We found his ID and apparently his name is Ryou Misaki…." he broke off and narrowed his eyes as the teenager, now known as Ryou started talking again.

The teenager winced in obvious pain as his head shifted slightly, "Skeith…I…can't…hurts…" he mumbled as he closed his eyes again. "Can't…awake…too much…pain…go…sleep…won't…hurt…" he whispered apparently to himself. All three adults frowned at that and the policeman looked up at them, "Who in the world is he talking to?" he questioned as he glanced over to where the other victim, a young girl, was being put on a stretcher.

Asaki followed the policeman's gaze and shook his head slowly, "No clue, but whoever it is had better keep him conscious because he might not wake up next time," he stated grimly following the policeman's gaze as the young woman was rolled out to a waiting ambulance. That poor girl wasn't much better off; even from here Fiona could count off several injuries in addition to the massive bruising on her face and the long, deep gash on her neck. She didn't know what these kids had been thinking, but if this guy had come much later then he did then his apparent girlfriend would be dead for sure.

"Were losing him!" Asaki suddenly shouted and Fiona realized that Ryou had stopped breathing. Leaning forward she reached for his pulse felt it flutter weakly for a moment before going dead. His heart had stopped beating and they had to get it going again fast, he had already lost a lot of blood which was enough to affect the amount of oxygen getting to his brain. If they didn't start up his heart again then his brain wouldn't be getting any oxygen at all and that would quickly lead to more brain damage then Ryou most likely had already from the gunshot.

Looking around Fiona saw Evangeline, the driver of the ambulance they had been riding in, finally appear; just where had she been anyway? The older EMT cast a dark look at the woman who blushed slightly as she handed over the compact defibrillator that all ambulance units carried with them. "I was trying to radio the hospital but something is affecting the electronics, even the police are having trouble," she explained as Fiona fiddled with the machine and then growled angrily as she slapped her hand against in.

"Stupid thing, of all times to fail on us!" she grumbled as the lights flickered in random order across the small screen. It had never messed up before, so why now of all times? Ryou's life was on the line and all of sudden this defibrillator decided to call it quits.

"Fiona?" Asaki suddenly asked in a hesitant voice.

She looked up ready to fire off a sharp comment when she noticed that the ceiling light was flickering slightly as well. Evangeline looked down at her digital watch, "It's stopped…" she said in surprise and they were all startled when the large TV with its expensive top-of-the-line liquid crystal display suddenly turned on; the screen buzzed with static and sound pierced the air with a loud roar.

Immediately the EMT's and police wandering around the house slapped their hands over their ears as the speakers roared at a deafening volume and the lights flashed wildly and hummed with electricity. Fiona could hear more noise coming from the kitchen as the microwave turned on and the refrigerator and oven both began to sway and shake from side to side, thumping loudly against the tile floor. Outside the street lights flashed suddenly as if the wattage was suddenly turned up before they burned out, the glass cover shattering and raining down to the sidewalk below.

The police cars and the remaining ambulance roared to life as the engines turned over and the sirens blared at their loudest setting. The head lights and roof lights flashed erratically as the cacophony of sound continued.

Fiona turned to Asaki who tried to say something to her but the intense waves of sound easily drowned out his voice. There was an explosion as the TV display suddenly burst apart in a shower of sparks and glass before the entire thing came crashing down to the floor. Another crash sounded from the kitchen as the refrigerator fell over completely and the microwave gave a loud screech before exploding in the same manner as the TV.

The radios that the police were wearing on their belts squealed and buzzed with undecipherable sound as the electronics around them continued to react to some unseen force.

"What in the world is going on?! What's causing all of this?" Evangeline shouted as the walls themselves began to shudder. But there was no time to answer her question. The noise reached a fever pitch and Fiona gave a yelp as there was a sharp and painful pop in her left ear from her eardrum bursting. Then as suddenly as the clamor had started…it stopped. All of the lights went off both inside the house and out on the street, the police and ambulance sirens cut out, the engines shut off, and everything fell eerily silent as all of the power in the area was suddenly cut off.

For long moments everything was quiet as a hush fell over the house. The type of quiet that only came with a power outage; but in central Tokyo power outages were extremely rare nowadays. Suddenly there was a harsh gasping cough and the wheeze of someone trying to take a breath; and as if on command the ceiling lights as well as the lamps on the tables at the ends of the couch came back on as well.

The police looked around in obvious confusion as Fiona winced and rubbed ear. Everything sounded slightly muffled and it was hard to tell where different sounds were coming from. She could hear somebody talking but it took a moment before she realized that it was Evangeline who was speaking. The EMT was carefully examining Ryou's vital signs.

Evangeline looked up in surprise, "I've got a pulse! I can feel his heart beat and Ryou is just barely managing to breathe on his own," the woman explained as the teenager gasped and coughed. Ryou's body gave a violent spasm as he started coughing up blood. They could worry about what had just happened later on, right now there were more important matters.

Fiona motioned to the back board and she stabilized Ryou's head while Evangeline moved down to grab the teen's legs. Asaki took a deep breath as he steadied the young man's back to keep the knife from doing any more damage to the teenager's internal organs. They moved him carefully, and by inches at a time, until they could finally get him on the back board and strap him in on his side.

When that was accomplished Fiona looked back up and saw that two police were frowning as they examined their radios while one stared around the corner of the wall and into the kitchen. The red haired policeman looked back over at Ryou through narrowed eyes before shaking his head, "My partner and I will follow you to the hospital. Once Ryou is taken care of then we can figure out what happened here," he explained as Evangeline hurried out and then arrived moments later pushing the stretcher. She stopped and laid it down flat as her partners carefully lifted Ryou and the back board, placing it on the stretcher and strapping him in.

Asaki picked up the defibrillator and other bags that they had carried in and paused for a moment, "Do you think…" he paused for a moment as he stared over at where the TV, or at least the shell of it, was lying on the floor sparking occasionally. Fiona frowned as she and Evangeline moved the stretcher back to the ambulance, as they passed entrance to the kitchen the EMT's could see the refrigerator and oven both tipped over and lying on the floor.

They looked back at the man and he fidgeted a little before finishing his sentence, "That whole mess with all of the lights and electronics going crazy like they did…I mean it didn't start until Ryou…" Asaki paused again and shook his head, "I know it sounds crazy but you don't think he might have had something to do with what just happened do you?" he questioned and Evangeline opened her mouth but then glanced over at Fiona and closed it without a word.

The oldest EMT of the group grunted at that as she rubbed her left ear again, "Let the police figure that out, we need to get him to the hospital," she huffed at them but they still looked thoughtful and exchanged a glance as they moved outside. Asaki stepped up into the back of the ambulance and placed the bags he was holding on a small shelf before moving to help Fiona. They placed the stretcher inside the ambulance and the woman climbed in as Evangeline shut the back doors and headed around to the driver's seat.

When she was settled in and had her seat belt in place she turned around, "Are you guys ready? We're going to need to get to the hospital as soon as we can so you had better hold on," Evangeline said with a cheeky grin. The ambulance driver was known for getting to her destinations in record time, and many doctors had nicknamed her "kamikaze" as a result.

Fiona glared at the young woman, "This boy has been through enough, he doesn't need your crazy driving habits to mess him up even more," she threatened hotly and Evangeline's grin got even wider.

With a coy wink she added, "Just keep those lungs breathing and that heart pumping while I drive. You do your job and I'll do mine," the EMT driver retorted before slamming her foot on the accelerator, the tires spun for a moment before the ambulance jerked into motion and headed off down the road towards the hospital, lights, and siren blaring to warn away all other vehicles on the road.

* * *

Inside the Outer Dungeon that the Epitaphs had taken for their own purposes Skeith was frantic but trying as best he could to stay calm.

The Terror of Death still had control of the black SUV and had turned it around and sent driving down the road after the ambulance that Ryou was in; much to the confusion and shock of the police. It wasn't as if Skeith actually _needed_ to follow them, being made of data meant that he could just hack the ambulance engine computer itself or watch from the street level cameras. But the Avatar needed to do something, _anything_ to calm his fraying nerves.

Ryou was hurt…really, really hurt. Sure they had been through tough battles with Aihane's AIDA fragments before while Ryou was in The World as Haseo, but if he lost those battles the worst that would happen was that the teenager would fall into a coma, and there was always the possibility that he could rebound from that just as the other Lost Ones had. Skeith had always protected Ryou and now that he couldn't do anything it was driving him crazy.

_But if I lose him now…if Ryou can hang on…_Skeith stopped and shook his head. Ryou _would_ hang on even if the Epitaph had to grab him and drag him back to the land of the living again as he just had a few moments ago. That train of thought made the Terror of Death stop for a moment, maybe he wasn't so helpless after all. Still even though he was growing in intelligence every day he hadn't quite figured out just _how_ he had managed to pull Ryou's consciousness back and start his heart beating again.

He paused for a moment as he glanced over at Innis. Currently she was glued to a screen that she had pulled up in front of her. It was a simple task to hack the hospital computers and the Mirage of Deceit was watching closely as the EMT's pulled the stretcher out of the ambulance and wheeled Chigusa into the emergency room. With a slight tilt of her head Innis changed the view so that she could see thing from inside the hospital.

Skeith hesitated as he turned his attention back to make sure that the SUV was still on course; and of course it was. Machines were made for the sole purpose of multitasking and with the Avatar's it was no different. Even if an AIDA fragment were to pop in here out of thin air he would still be able to maintain perfect control over Ryou's car battered as it was.

Satisfied he turned back to his fellow Epitaph and saw that she was already watching him. Innis tilted her head slightly, "I'll bet your wondering how you managed to connect with Ryou like that aren't you?" she asked calmly and the white Avatar nodded slowly as he lifted his hand.

The Epitaph stared at his gold claws for a moment before replying, "The more we fight together…the longer I stay connected the way I am to Ryou…" Skeith paused and shook his head, "It's like I'm becoming more and more a part of him, and vice versa. Weeks ago I started being able to sense his feelings and hear his thoughts, but now…now I know what he's going to do and say even before he thinks it himself," he stated with an uneasy tone to his voice. When he looked back up he saw Innis listening intently, but she motioned for him to continue.

"And the same thing is starting to happen to Ryou as well. In battle we're the perfect combination, we haven't even come _close_ to losing against AIDA," Skeith noted proudly before crossing his arms, "We all know that we're connected to our User's through more then just their PC's; even when offline we can feel them and sense them. And just now…when Ryou almost…." Skeith paused and looked away, not wanting to say the word.

His body tensed and instead he just shook his head, "I could feel his presence the same way I do when he's online. In fact it was even _stronger_ then before. I'm not sure I really have the words to explain it. It was more then just a….physical or emotional connection…it was like…like," finally Skeith broke off and growled in frustration as he dropped his arms and clenched his fists unable to express his thoughts.

The Mirage of Deceit, though, knew exactly what her friend meant, "Like you were seeing directly into his body. You could see how his brain and organs were working and what you needed to do in order to fix them; you saw what you had to do to make him breath again and get his heart beating. Just like we do online with data," Innis explained as she lifted her arm and motioned to the area around them. "You found this area, and together with Tarvos and Magus we've manipulated the data so that we can take information from outside of The World…" she paused and motioned to the screens around them that were showing video feeds from different camera's on the streets of Chiba and even from inside the hospital.

"…and display it here. Whether it's from the real world, or just other places on the network, is irrelevant. We examine the information and change it accordingly. You saw how Ryou's body was injured and what it would take to improve his condition, if only temporarily, and you did it. It's not _exactly_ the same but very similar nonetheless," Innis added evenly as she stared back over at the camera view to make sure that Chigusa was in good hands. Skeith let his companion watch over her User for a moment before asking another question.

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion he countered that statement, "I don't see how you can compare a human brain to a man-made computer," Skeith fired back crossly but Innis ignored his tone and turned back to him.

The Second Phase put a hand on her chin as she considered his question, "Did you know that most scientists and neurologists think of the brain as being the most advanced super computer ever known to man?" Innis questioned innocently and the Terror of Death remained silent on that matter.

After waiting a moment the Mirage of Deceit continued in smug tone of voice, "No? Well that's because even with all the things humans have accomplished, it's estimated that people use less then 1% of their brain capacity during their lifetime. All of the advances in technology that humans have made when it comes to computers and machines are _nothing_ compared to that potential," Innis explained as she waved her arm. A screen popped up with reports, charts, tests, and other information.

As Skeith examined it Innis continued, "Neurologists are most intrigued by Savant syndrome. It's a condition where people with severe mental disabilities display incredible talent in areas like art, music, and mathematics. The most common skill is extraordinary memory. Some with this 'disorder' can memorize massive amounts of data in areas like sports statistics, population figures, or historical and biographical data. A few can even calculate what day of the week a particular date was on, or will fall on," she explained as she motioned the information away and pointed to the data flowing around them.

Sounding like a teacher explaining something to a student Innis continued, "Don't computers do the same thing? Store information and then bring it back up whenever it's needed or called for? Might I add that neurologists still don't know why savants can use areas of their brain more thoroughly then the average person but that's irrelevant right now. Computers are becoming more complex but when compared to what the human brain is capable of…. they're still light years behind…I would like to think that we Epitaphs are exceptions to that rule though," Innis paused for a moment before adding the last part.

With a grumble of defeat Skeith waved her off and checked to make sure that Ryou was okay; when he saw that the ambulance was almost at the hospital he switched his attention back to the other Phase. "Okay, fine. So the human brain is like a computer but infinitely more complex, I agree with that. But they operate completely differently from one another...." the Terror of Death stopped and thought for a moment, "Don't they?" he questioned as his worry turned to curiosity.

Innis linked her hands behind her back, "Wrong again I'm afraid. A person who's done extensive computer programming or taken time to look up the information knows that no matter how complex the numbers and symbols you put in, the computer is still going to convert it back to Binary Code; which is basically all of the one's and zero's everyone thinks of when you talk about computer programming," she explained and Skeith flashed her an 'I know that already' look and motioned for her to hurry this up.

Ignoring his impatience the Second Phase continued, "Now the human brain is very similar to this. Vision, color, smell, touch, taste, pain, pleasure, and fear…all of these are in some way or another interpreted by the nervous system which send the information to the brain or spine. And the basic way that nerves communicate is by means of electricity. A simple pulse of electricity through your nerves near the skin tells the brain that you're in pain. When light hits the cells in the backs of your eyes then that same energy interprets what colors, shapes, or faces your seeing. If you taste something…" she explained but Skeith growled and waved her off.

Irritated again the Avatar grunted in defeat, "Alright, alright! I get it now! Computers use numbers or little pulses of electricity to interpret what's going on and the brain does the same thing. I can go with that," Skeith agreed as he lifted his chin, "But how was I able to connect with Ryou the way I did? Sure I know it's possible because it just happened, but I doubt CC Corp will be thrilled with an 'I don't know how, I just did it' explanation," he retorted testily as he crossed his arms and waited for an answer.

Innis narrowed her eyes in an expression of amusement, "I can't believe I know more about this stuff then you do," she commented with a shake of her head. Skeith puffed up with indignation but the Mirage of Deceit waved him off. "Down boy. I'll explain it so just hold on a minute," the Avatar scolded him as she glanced back over to check on Chigusa's progress. When she was satisfied with the doctor's care she turned back to her agitated companion.

The Terror of Death, scourge of The World, and the outlying network was none to happy with that comment, "Down boy? I'm not a dog ready to attack somebody! I'm just standing here!" Skeith lashed out and Innis was quiet for a moment as she considered him. She wished she could show the First Phase a picture of him 'just standing there' his claws were twitching and he kept crossing and uncrossing his arms. He looked like he was more then ready to attack something or someone. If he took out his scythe and started swinging it around then it wouldn't surprise her at all.

"Mmmm hmmmm," was Innis' only comment and Skeith glared at her.

"Mmm hmm what?!" he grumbled back but she shook her head.

Innis cleared her throat, "Wireless computers communicate with, and send information from, one machine to the next by transmitting the information through complex radio frequencies or radio waves. These frequencies or waves aren't actually made up of sound, instead they consist of light, like ultraviolet light; neither of which human beings can see, right?" she asked and the white Avatar nodded grudgingly at that as he continued to fidget.

Satisfied when Skeith didn't fire back with a sharp comment Innis continued, "This is still a theory but hear me out. The whole principle of being an Epitaph User depends on the human connecting somehow with their Avatar doesn't it? And for year's scientists have been making huge advances when it comes to BCI's or brain-computer interfaces. Amputees now use them to control robotic limbs and those with severe paralysis can operate their own wheelchairs, or speak through a computer. They have even gone so far as to implant a human with a special electrode that allows them to access and search the internet; it works rather well too," she explained bringing up articles and research data about the subject.

Skeith shook his head, "But those computer implants are still in the testing phases and no matter how well they work it doesn't matter because none of the Epitaph User's have one anyway," he retorted but then stopped and scratched his chin. "But…if given enough time…" he stopped and shook his head in denial. "No way, it sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie," the Phase protested knowing where Innis was going with this.

Ignoring his suspicion Innis said, "I'm sure many would say the same thing about us," she fired back and Skeith had to give her that one. "Let's say that at first we Eight Phases of Morganna were only connected through our Users PC's, back before they learned how to summon us that is. Now those FMD's and M2D's are shooting information directly into the player's eyes and ears, they even fit directly on the person's head and that's awfully close," she noted bringing a picture as an example.

Agreeing with that Skeith spoke up, "And anything electronic sitting that close to the head is bound to affect your brain. People even worried about cell phones having the potential to cause brain cancer; which is extremely unlikely," he admitted as he accepted what she was saying. "So given enough time online…with the right adjustments and frequencies…well wearing something like that anyway for long periods is going to affect you medically if your not careful. But if used in _just_ the right way…" he paused and turned to Innis who nodded emphatically.

The Mirage of Deceit waved the image away, "Normally since the eyes cannot 'see' these radio waves the brain itself in turn can't detect, or just doesn't interpret, radio waves. But the more hours the Epitaph Users spent online…the more their brains and bodies became accustomed to the special waves and frequencies that we as AI's emit. I mean we've just proved that the brain and computers transmit information in similar ways and that scientists have already managed to work out a way for them to communicate with one another," Innis added finally getting to the heart of Skeith's question.

The Terror of Death stared at the information floating around them on the screens before saying, "The signals we emit are similar but still slightly different from normal computers and data. It's like a person's voice or fingerprint. It's unusual from other machines and from the other Phases as well. The signals we put out are a mix of radio _and_ sound waves. So given the hours that Haseo, Atoli, and the others spend online in The World, its possible that their brains could grow accustomed to the frequencies we're emitting and begin to interpret and transmit that information directly to the rest of the body," Skeith thought aloud as he considered the possibilities.

Innis shook her head, "Not just possible, what you just did for Ryou_ proves_ that it's true. You mentioned that as time goes on you've become more in tune with how he feels and thinks right? Well if our theory is correct then it makes perfect sense for that to happen. The brain receives signals and reacts according to what that information tells it; that small organ basically takes in, stores, transmits, and interprets information. Like a giant receiver," she hinted with excitement in her voice.

Fully understanding her now Skeith straightened in surprise, "And depending on what information it receives…" he paused and Innis nodded slowly, "You can get it to do just about anything. That's how you were able to connect with Ryou and get him breathing again. Now every person is different so the process could be faster or slower depending on who it is. Atoli was able to call on my power far sooner then Yata could for example, and you and Ryou are now only slightly ahead of Chigusa and I," the Mirage of Deceit seemed more then a little satisfied with her theories and explanations.

As Skeith ran through what she had just said he found that while it might _seem_ farfetched…it did actually sound possible, and hadn't Innis started out by saying how complex the brain was and how little of it was really used? Something like this was entirely possible…more then possible because it had already happened.

Pulling his thoughts back to the matter at hand the First Phase asked something else before his companion became too involved in watching over Chigusa, "But what about the power abnormalities? It's not normal for electronics to react like that," Skeith commented and Innis looked back over her shoulder.

Calmly she replied, "Because some signals are stronger then others, that's why cell phones and radios work better in some places then they do in others. Try using a PDA in a tunnel and see how well that goes over for example. In order to do what you did to Ryou you needed to boost your unique signal in order to tell his brain what to do. That interfered with the electronics in the area and overpowered them, causing them to go haywire like they did," Innis explained with smug rationale.

Ignoring her superior tone Skeith turned back to watching Ryou and making sure the ER doctors were giving him the care he deserved. Suddenly a thought occurred to him as he realized why Innis was no longer worried now that Chigusa was in the hospital and more or less stabilized. The Terror of Death turned and stared at his companion with accusing eyes until she finally felt his gaze on her.

With a slight tilt of her head Innis chuckled, "I see you finally figured it out…took you long enough," she teased and Skeith grunted and crossed his arms again.

Still glaring the Avatar growled angrily, "If I can really connect with Ryou on such a deep level then I can affect how his body responds to the gunshot and stab wound he received can't I? I can even affect how his body heals itself?" he questioned irately and Innis nodded.

With a slight shake of her head at how long it was taking him to catch on, the Mirage of Deceit nodded at his inquiry, "Why do you think Ryou is still alive at all? That gunshot wound would have killed anyone else, but your desire to keep him alive meant that his brain automatically compensated for the damage; I might add that such things _are_ indeed possible. It has been proven in a dozen people who have brain damage. But know that Ryou's brain may not be able to compensate for long. Still the doctors will have removed the bullet from his head long before that happens," Innis added quickly when she saw Skeith beginning to stiffen up with worry once again.

The Terror of Death huffed at that and turned away, grumbling about "insufferable females keeping secrets to themselves" as he turned his scowl on the hacked camera feed in front of him. Innis smiled slightly before turning her attention back to Chigusa, slowly she reached out and touched the screen gently, _I know it hurts Chigusa…but just hold on…I'm not going to let you die. It may hurt physically and emotionally but I'm going to do everything in my power to see that you get through this, _she thought as she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

When she looked over she could see Skeith data draining information from various web sites. Upon closer inspection the white and green Avatar saw that they were all sites on human anatomy, physiology, diseases, drug interactions and countless other things. With a smile she brought up a few sources she had found that were especially good and with a flick of her fingers the screen shot over his way. Skeith waved his arm in acknowledgement and continued looking up as much information as he could.

* * *

It took several long minutes before her mind figured out what her ears were telling her. She could hear a person…no…two people talking to each other. Her right shoulder still had a dull ache in it and there was firm pressure on her left arm.

Slowly Chigusa found the strength to open one eye and stared around blankly before realizing that she must be in the hospital. _Of course…Ryou came just in time…like he always does,_ she considered realizing that there were bandages covering one side of her face. After a moment she tried to speak and pain flashed up through her throat and her chest tightened as her vocal cords screamed in protest. Chigusa jerked her head to one side as she started coughing and wave of nausea hit her making her dizzy.

"Whoa easy there," a gentle male voice told her as strong hands moved her onto her side. Another lady in green scrubs pushed a wastebasket over as Chigusa hacked and her stomach began to spasm and heave, throwing up what little was left remaining in it. For several long minutes Chigusa couldn't focus on anything else but relieving her nausea. Finally the feeling subsided and same woman stepped forward and held a cup of water to her lips.

Chigusa painfully managed to take a mouthful and swished it around in her mouth before spitting it out into the wastebasket sitting beside the gurney she was laying on.

"There you go. Take it easy, I'll get some pain killers for you," the same man from before said and she could hear him rummaging around in a cabinet behind her before walking around where she could see him. He leaned down slightly and showed her the needle, "This won't take long and you'll be feeling better in no time okay?" he assured warmly before straightening up and sticking the needle into a bag that was hanging from the IV pole next to her.

A moment later he tossed the empty needle into a red box on the wall before turning back to her, "I'm Dr. Evans and I was just getting finished patching you up. You know where you are don't you?" he questioned and Chigusa's clearing mind noticed his slight American accent. After a few seconds she processed his question and tilted her head slightly in answer to his question.

Satisfied the man reached over and placed a hand on her arm, "You had a broken arm and I was just getting ready to put the first few layers of the cast you'll need. You have a lot of injuries but we're going to take great care of you," he added smoothly as her eyes drifted down to the tight bandages wrapped around her arm.

He waved his arm and the woman who had been assisting him came over and together they repositioned Chigusa so that she was lying on her back once again. The gurney she was on was slightly elevated which helped take some of the pressure off of her throbbing back.

The young female sighed softly and closed her eyes, weary from everything that had happened already tonight. When she opened them again she realized why there was so much noise in the background. Looking through the windows in the swinging doors separating the rooms she could see that the ER staff was frantically working on someone in the next room, passing IV bags back and forth and handing needles and scalpels to one another.

Suddenly she realized just who they were working on and she could feel a tug on her heart as she stared over into the next room. _Ryou…! Oh Ryou…what did my father DO to you?_ Chigusa thought as tears began welling up in her eyes. There were a lot of people rushing back and forth so she couldn't get a good look at him, but what she did see of him was bad enough. One woman had her hands on his head, controlling the bleeding while two others worked on Ryou's back, the side farthest away from her.

Everything went silent for a moment before both straightened up, one holding a huge knife in her heads. The woman held it carefully, her hands covered in red stained rubber gloves, until a policeman walked into the room holding a large plastic bag. She placed it in the bag and nodded to the policeman who said something to her and then backed out of the room. There were double doors separating the rooms so Chigusa couldn't quite make out what they were saying, she could only see what was going on through the windows.

The woman who had pulled the blade out of Ryou's back shouted something and the other staff members put the rails lying on the sides of the gurney back up before wheeling him out of the room in a rush of people, two people stayed back though, apparently to clean up the room.

Frustration and worry welled up inside Chigusa as the commotion faded down the hallway. Where were they taking him? How was he? Was he conscious? Had the blade cut the nerves along his spine, or punctured a lung, or cut his heart, or worse?

Dr. Evans was working carefully, wrapping bandages around Chigusa's arm and getting ready to put the final layers of her cast on. He looked up and noticed her forlorn gaze, he thought for a moment and then cleared his throat to catch her attention. When Chigusa turned her head back to face him he spoke up.

"He's in really serious condition. They managed to get the blade out without any serious damage…but they're taking him up to surgery now to close the wound, they'll extract the bullet from his head at the same time," Dr. Evan explained in a grave tone of voice and Chigusa knew he was trying to tell her not to get her hopes up too high.

_Wait…close the wound and extract the bullet at the same time? Isn't that dangerous?_ she thought worriedly, she knew enough from watching medical drama's to know that attempting such a thing was dangerous for the patient. _**Any**_ surgery was dangerous, much less performing two at one time. Chigusa's gaze flicked over to the woman beside her who was checking the bags hanging from the IV.

She noticed Chigusa's probing look and pursed her lips, "If they don't examine and close up the wound on his back as soon as possible then it could lead to an infection which could be just as dangerous with him in the condition he is now. But at the same time they need remove the bullet and the loose fragments around it as soon as possible otherwise they may travel to other parts of his brain and cause even more damage," she explained in a serious tone of voice.

Chigusa swallowed hard, wincing at the pain it caused and nodded slightly to show she understood. She could hear the woman take a breath to say something else but Dr. Evans flashed her a stern look.

"That's enough," he said firmly and from the corner of her eye Chigusa could see the woman frown in obvious displeasure. Dr. Evans turned to the injured teenager and shook his head, "I'm sorry, but we really shouldn't have said this much about his condition. Only immediate family, husbands, wives, brother, sister, mother, father, and so forth are really allowed access to such information," he explained with a hint of regret in his eyes.

Chigusa felt her heart drop at that but she understood that Dr. Evans didn't make the rules, he was just doing as he and every other doctor was told.

_Skeith…Innis…please…PLEASE watch over Ryou for me. It's my fault he's in this mess…he doesn't deserve to die!_ Chigusa thought as a strangled sob escaped from her lips. She turned her head away from the two physicians, not wanting them to see her like this.

A warm feeling unexpectedly embraced her, soothing her fears and dulling the pain, _Don't worry my lady…Skeith and I are both here watching over you and Ryou. Nothing bad is going to happen now. Ryou is going to make it through this and so will you…I promise_, a firm feminine voice whispered to her. Chigusa blinked in surprise but didn't fight the feeling; it was as if someone had come up and wrapped their arms around her body to try and comfort her.

But that voice…it sounded just like…_Innis?_ Chigusa questioned hesitantly not sure whether she had really heard her Avatar or not.

_I am right here with you Chigusa…I am __**always**__ with you…now sleep, you need your rest,_ Innis voice murmured softly to her and Chigusa could feel sleep tugging her back down all of a sudden.

_But I…_she tried to protest but was cut off.

_Sleep,_ was the firm command Chigusa received as she quit fighting and closed her eyes.

Maybe it was just the pain killers kicking in and making her imagine things…but as she drifted off the teenager could feel Innis presence just as strongly as if she were in the world. It was a protective aura that embraced Chigusa in the way she had always imagined a loving parent would, calming and reassuring her until she fell asleep.

* * *

AN: Sorry, sorry, sorry for not getting this up sooner but I'm sure none of you were disappointed right?

–crickets begin chirping-

Uhhhh, _**right**_? Well anyway this concludes Chapter 23.

Now I now most of you will be skimming through the whole Skeith and Innis conversation again to figure out what the heck they're talking about, but let me just say I made it as simple as possible while still getting the point across. I was actually in the middle of typing and I was thinking about how to explain the whole thing when I realized that I didn't have the foggiest idea of how computers actually "communicated" with each other. All I know is you click the button on the screen and the computer works for you. **;p**

I could have just bluffed my way through it all but then you my dear readers would just have been able to look it up for yourself and then come back with scathing PM's saying how wildly off base I was. So instead I actually did take the time to stop typing and look up all of the information.

Most of the stuff about how the brain works I already knew because my College Major is in the medical field. But I didn't want to put you all to sleep describing the how light goes through the lens in your eye and hits retina, which contains the rods and cones that allow you to see in color, and also hits the macula, and fovea centralis, which is the area of sharpest vision in the eye, and then how the optic disk carries those signals through the optic nerve into the….yeah too long too much detail.

Remember aspiring authors too much unneeded detail CAN be a bad thing.

So that I understood but the computer stuff I looked up and I remembered a lot from watching 60 Minutes and a show on the History Channel. Remember kids, watch educational shows long enough and you too can learn more then you ever wanted to about how your own body works. And if anybody wants to know more then check out the web site How Stuff Works sponsored by the Discovery Channel. Trust me…you won't be disappointed, but you might want to bring a dictionary depending on your areas of interest. ^_^

Okay that's all. I'll try to be quicker next time but no promises. So be nice and leave a review would you? After all it is reviews that make the fan fiction world go round.

**Disclaimer**: I have a giant Medical Terminology text book and I know how to use it. Flame me and I _will_ throw it at you.


	24. Goodbye

**AN:** I'm so sorry for taking this long, I've been busy with an Internship and if everything works out than I may actually have a job!!! Sure I'm staring at a computer screen all day but it's better than being on my feet all day and breaking my back lifting and heaving things all over creation. But none of you care about that right? Right, didn't think so.

So here we are with another update! You guys and girls have been so good to me! I love reading all of your reviews and hearing your thoughts about the story! So without further ado here goes! But before I do….

**Warning:** Character death is ahead! Like I told you all before a beloved Epitaph User will meet their demise in this chapter. Of course you'll have to read all the way to the very end to find out who but I'm sure you can all wait right? So save your knives, axes, torches, swords, and cannons that you all will surely want to pelt me with for later. So there you go I've said it and now I shall disappear!

-runs like mad away from her fans-

Chapter 24: Goodbye

* * *

She had seen the news and had watched with increasing panic as they announced that the driver was a teenager from Tokyo. The woman had stood there gripping her husband's hand as the helicopter footage replayed the entire scene in vivid detail. A worried mother watched helplessly as the car chase finally ended with that horrible explosion, only to continue on to an even more horrible end with the perpetrator being shot and receiving a knife wound to the back…and her heart had dropped to the floor as they released the name…the name she had been silently begging them not to say…_Ryou Misaki_…her one and only son, her remaining child.

Kitade Misaki could still feel it…that tight, twisted knot in her stomach as they headed towards Chiba. Still one question burned brightly in her head. _Why? Oh, Ryou…what's going on? _the mother considered fearfully, her gaze focused on her violently shaking hands. Beside her Misano, her husband and Ryou's father, reached over and slipped his hand into hers, giving it a tight squeeze as she finally managed to look up at him. The normally stoic business man was managing to hold it together…but just barely. The stress of the situation was evident on his face and his eyes were dull with concern.

The mother had awoken in the middle of the night, some sixth sense telling Kitade that something just wasn't right. After pacing around, and sneaking a few snacks from the fridge, she had turned on the news…and that's where the night had fallen apart. Immediately she had woken Misano up and his momentary grumbling had stopped immediately when he saw what was happening. Every news station possible was fighting for the best footage and information, trying to out due the others with the best possible coverage.

Initial shock and horror had given way to urgency and panic. Their first coherent thought was to drive as quickly as possible to the Chiba hospital so that they could be with their son and find out the whole story from the police. But that rush of activity had been interrupted by a firm knock at the front door and an imposing man in a black suit and shades asking if they were the legal parents of Ryou Misaki. The answer of course was yes, and without further comment he and another man like him had urgently ushered Kitade and Misano to a waiting limousine saying that they were here to take them to Ryou and everything would be explained on the way to the hospital.

While her first impulses had shouted a warning not to go, motherly instinct won out in the end and Kitade had only hesitated for a few long seconds before fairly jumping into the waiting vehicle in her eagerness to get to her son as soon as possible.

Now they were being driven down the highway towards Chiba, a small screen relaying live video from the internet. Sitting across from them were a foreign woman and a young man wearing a rumpled long sleeved and jeans. They had introduced themselves as Rhodesia and Kaoru.

Impatient Misano spoke up, "How do you know my son? What have you done to him?" he demanded fiercely as a small screen continued to put out more updates to this strange incident. Turning away from the screen Rhodesia replied, "Work in special division of CC Corp I do. Ryou avid player of The World yes? He along with Chigusa and my friend here possess and control a special AI system my company very interested in. Want keep from public eye they do. Previous scandal nothing compared to what happen if this get out," she explained in her thick foreign accent.

Kitade pursed her lips at that, "So once again they're only worrying about their own public image? And what about you?" she asked turning to Kaoru who was folded up in his seat fiddling with a just-placed-on-the-market cell phone. The sounds of his tapping and clicking stopped and he slowly raised his eyes, examining them both for at least a minute before answering, "Ryou is a very close friend of mine…we met online in The World and I am deeply indebted to him. I am here to lend him and Chigusa support in any way that I can," he finally replied in a strangely androgynous voice. Both parents frowned at that last unfamiliar name as the news rolled on.

"Tonight's long and mysterious car chase has baffled everyone. But it is now believed that Ryou Misaki, the young man and driver of that black SUV, was trying to rescue Chigusa Kusaka the female victim from her deranged father who, by the recent admission of the local neighbors, kept his own daughter locked down and completely isolated, abusing her verbally and physically for at least the past week. She is currently in intensive care at the hospital with numerous broken bones and other severe injuries. Ikari Kusaka, the teenage girl's father, not only stabbed Ryou in the back, but then proceeded to shoot the young man in the head just as the police broke in the house, providing them with undeniable proof of the man's twisted intentions. He is currently under heavy guard at the hospital himself but will then be taken to jail where he will await…"

Rhodesia tilted her head slightly and Kaoru turned the sound down. Turning back to them she said, "Seen most of it I sure you have. What they say true, though; was just trying to help her Ryou was. CC Corp may not be most honest company around, but assure you I will that your son never do anything wrong. Start out just trying to figure out the truth and ended up saving the network," Rhodesia explained waving her hand again. The sky blue strip of light running all around the top of the limousine glowed as a screen suddenly popped up in front of them hovering in the air.

Misano barely blinked, such technology was quite common now among the wealthy and could be configured to either voice or motion commands. Leaning forward he examined the hologram carefully and sucked in a breath in surprise, "But this technology…there's no way this could be possible…much less in the hands of children," Misano blurted and Kaoru frowned at that last comment. Kitade stared at it a moment longer, "I like to follow the latest tech advances and I know that even the most basic of AI's have been around since before the year 2000. But for this type of advancement to be made…" she stopped and shook her head.

Her husband nodded in agreement, "The most leading scientists in the world have only just managed to create a robot that is completely autonomous and can carry on extended conversations and make decisions for itself; they announced it just 2 months ago and its been all over the news stations ever since. What you're showing here is a computer program with an intelligence system that rivals the brain and intellect of a human being. You can't possibly mean that my son is in possession of an AI that advanced? Such a thing shouldn't even be possible for at LEAST another couple of decades. How is it that CC Corp has one…no…_more_ then one because you said that he.." he nodded towards Kaoru with clear suspicion in his voice, '…and that girl Chigusa hold their own as well," Misano questioned in clear disbelief. He worked at the most powerful computer networking and manufacturing company in Japan and it also ranked number two when compared against the rest of the world; so he was more then familiar with the latest advancements.

Rhodesia nodded and the screen vanished, the blue glow fading once again as they continued their drive down the road. Meeting his gaze she continued, "See now why Ryou so important? These AI's not only smart as any one of us, but very particular as well. With powers, them not having listen to anybody they don't, but chosen have they to obey humans, but certain ones only which why CC Corp so adamant about Ryou's safety now," Rhodesia explained to them and Kitade turned to look out at the passing buildings as she thought about that.

Turning back to them she asked, "But surely they could find somebody else to control this AI couldn't they?" she said and Misano nodded in agreement. Immediately Kaoru shook his head, "The situation is far more complicated then that. Even if Skeith, that's the name of the AI Ryou is partnered with, _could_ choose a new companion he never would be inclined to do so and neither would the others," he commented simply his eyes now drawn back to his cell phone.

Rhodesia clarified things before they could ask, "Complicated story is and best if start I from beginning. Leave out most details will I, time enough for those later and only time for basics before getting to Chiba," she began leaning back in her seat and tilting her head slightly as she continued, "Heard have you of Harald Hoerwick?" she asked as a few more screens popped up in front of them.

* * *

As they pulled up to the Chiba hospital they could see the police cars and officers keeping the newscasters out of the way. The limousine went past the Emergency Room entrance, bypassing the biggest crush of reporters and police and going around to the side entrance, also guarded by police. As the vehicle rolled to a stop Misano spoke up, the first time he had done so since Rhodesia had begun her explanation.

"Is all of that really true?" Misano asked in a greatly subdued tone of voice. Kaoru finally put his phone away and looked up at them, "Does not Ryou's behavior over these years speak for itself? The way he lost his memory after playing the first version of The World and the increase in his emotional problems afterwards; I'm also sure that he's been rather vague when it comes to what he does online. Out of necessity of course," Kaoru added with calm finality.

Kitade shook her head, "But all of this…it's so…so unreal…but now that I've heard you explain this in such a way…everything else makes perfect sense. I mean CC Corp's secrecy and lies all this time. Not to mention the way Ryou would always be so evasive when I asked about what he was doing online and he's been acting so strange lately…but how could they possibly hide this from the government for so long? How could this not get out to the public or at least other nations?" she questioned peculiarly her voice tinged with suspicion.

Flipping a hand through her braids Rhodesia gave a faint smile, "Oh, know ALL about it does they, just too dangerous to do anything about it. Scientists would scream up to heavens high if operation shut down, and government possible target if AI's decide not liken they don't what happening to their Master's," she commented airily and Kaoru's lips twisted slightly into a frown.

The soft spoken man checked his cell phone again before saying, "If something good results from all of this then the Japanese government can take some of the credit because they legitimately know about what's going on. They'll turn the situation to their favor and gain the people's approval; the fact that they have turned a blind eye thus far will of course be ignored," he added simply, glancing up at them before looking back down. Apparently satisfied he continued, "On the other hand if something terrible happens then they can pull the plug in a matter of minutes, shutting down everything and anything even remotely connected to CC Corp and coming out the heroes because they'll make it look as if they were 'investigating' the business the entire time. No one will be the wiser," Kaoru determined and then gave a small shrug.

Unfolding his legs Kaoru stretched out his limbs and added, "Really I can't say that I blame them. They _are_ supposed to keep the masses safe and protected, and this situation could turn out very good, or terrible on a scale that does not even bear imagining. If I were in their situation I must say I would recommend the same course of action until things were more secure," Kaoru established before leaning over and opening the limousine door. He hopped out and Rhodesia motioned for Misano and Kitade to go ahead of her.

Both hesitated before stepping out of the vehicle and straightening up, looking around curiously. There was a news van sitting across the parking lot and they were apparently on the air right now. Rhodesia followed their gaze and dismissed the newscaster. She reached into her pocketbook and pulled out something small and black, boldly she walked up to the police who stood taller, ready to turn her away. Quickly she flipped the black pad open and handed her identification to them. "Here to see teenage victims are we," she explained in a calm but authoritative tone of voice.

Surprised and slightly suspicious the man took it and stared with a slight frown before handing it off to his companion who examined it thoroughly before nodding slowly in acceptance. "Your together?" he questioned his eyes flicking carefully over Misano and Kitade before landing squarely on Kaoru with his long slightly unkempt hair wearing his rumpled blue jeans and white shirt.

Rhodesia's mouth twitched up into a slight smile, "Yes we is," she assured them as Kaoru scratched his head idly. The policemen still looked wary of the young man but allowed them to pass.

Once inside the African woman looked over her shoulder as she addressed them, "Not easy this won't be. But Ryou recover from injuries I assure you despite what think currently his doctors," Rhodesia commented and Misano frowned at that information. "Is that because of Skeith? That AI Ryou possesses?" he questioned his voice tight as they walked through the hallways and to the front desk.

Kaoru piped up from the back, "That _is_ the primary reason, but there will be time for you to learn about that later after we've seen Ryou and Chigusa," he explained to them as Kitade lifted her head, "But how is that possible? That…_thing_ is only an online program that choseRyou's online character and now listens to him in the real world. It can't affect him physically," she stated resolutely, giving them a strange look.

Misano and Kitade had been told the whole story from when Tsukasa was held in The World in order to control Aura; all the way through the events of Kite and BlackRose with Kaoru telling most of this part. Then they had been briefly informed of Haseo and the Twilight Brigade before moving on to when Shino fell comatose, and then on to when Ryou, or Haseo, joined up with those of G.U. and learned about the Epitaphs. As far as AIDA was concerned they had been told the essential points but the other details surrounding G.U. and the Epitaph User's had been left out to be filled in later.

Rhodesia and Kaoru exchanged a look and the woman flashed a placating smile, "Much happen over months recent yes? Not everything I tell you, explain later maybe," she commented mysteriously as she waved the matter off as she stepped up and leaned over to talk to the receptionist. "Name is Rhodesia Tsanzi Kajongwe of CC Corp. Need contact doctor overseeing Ryou Misaki's care do I. Here authorization is," she informed them firmly taking out her ID before they could object.

Hesitating slightly the woman took the ID and examined it in confusion; clearly she didn't recognize the division that Rhodesia was from. However she picked up the phone and dialed a few numbers as she scrutinized Misano, Kitade, and Kaoru curiously, not quite trusting them but having no reason to turn them away. She shifted her attention away suddenly and the receptionist's eyes flicked down to the computer monitor in front of her. "Yes doctor, I have a woman and her companions here to visit Ryou Misaki from the car accident a few hours ago. Would you like me to read you her identification?" she questioned looking over her shoulder cautiously. The action was rather unnecessary considering that the receptionist, along with Rhodesia, Kaoru, and Ryou's parents were the only ones in the lobby. It was very early in the morning after all. Most people were congregated over in the Emergency Room; every other part of the Chiba Hospital was currently running on a skeleton crew until 7:00 AM rolled around.

After a moment of silence the woman lowered her voice slightly and read off what was on the card. When she had finished she nodded and hung the phone up, "Okay you're cleared to go. Take the elevator to the fifth floor and you'll see a nurse's station straight ahead of you. They will direct you to the operating room from there," the receptionist explained pointing around the corner to where the elevators were even as she handed Rhodesia's ID back to her.

Misano leaned forward slightly catching a glimpse of what was printed on the card before Rhodesia put it away.

Name: Rhodesia Tsanvi Kajongwe

Birthdate: November 15, 1996

Area of Birth: Kadoma, Zimbabwe

Employer: CC Corp; Omega Division.

Network Administration Bureau (NAB): Rank 6

NAB Direct Authorized Country Supervision: Germany, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, Zimbabwe.

There were several other countries listed as well, but Rhodesia put her ID away before Misano could see what they were. But the fact that she was listed as Rank 6 in the Network Administration Bureau. The highest rank that you could go was 7 and that was reserved for the very highest members who made all of the final decisions, ambassadors and diplomats and such. For this woman to have such a high position did not bode well.

Misano turned away as his face drained of color and he swallowed hard, _Even at our firm the highest ranking NAB representative we've had was Rank 4; that was rare enough and we're one of the top computer networking and manufacturing companies in the world! This woman...and that AI Ryou has…it must be far more then just some program if the Network Administration Bureau has joined up with CC Corp in order to take care of the problem. But the fact that this has been going on for so long either means that they are sitting back to see what develops like that young man Kaoru said…or they don't have any real control of the situation and are trying to stay in Ryou's good graces because he is the only one that…'Skeith' will listen to,_ he considered thoughtfully, keeping his eyes focused steadfastly ahead of him as they walked down the hallway and into the elevator. They arrived up on the fifth floor and walked out of the elevator immediately sighting the nurse's station that the receptionist had mentioned. Rhodesia leaned over and spoke softly to Kaoru who nodded at whatever she had said.

Misano narrowed his eyes at this, _Just who IS this guy anyway? He obviously knows about everything that's going on but he doesn't seem to have the authority that Rhodesia does, _he thought suspiciously as Kaoru turned and calmly replied to what the woman had said to him.

_Didn't this woman also mention that he controlled an AI as well? If this Kaoru controls one also then it makes sense that CC Corp would want his help…and what about Chigusa? She is one of these…Epitaph Users as well isn't she? But how is it that she knows Ryou? _Misano thought mind reversing to what the news had said about Ryou going to rescue Chigusa. He stared suspiciously at the two strangers who had whisked them off into the night but kept his ideas to himself for the moment.

His thoughts were interrupted when a white coated doctor walked up to them; she was a middle aged woman with long black hair. Rhodesia immediately held out her ID and the woman took it and examined it thoroughly for at least a minute before handing it back and saying, "It's nice to meet you. The receptionist said you would be coming. My name is Lien Mei and I'm the one who's been taking care of Ryou thus far. Currently he is in surgery to repair the knife wound in his back and extract the bullet from his…" she paused and cleared her throat, "To take care of his gunshot wound," the doctor restated simply as she waved her hand for them to follow her.

Kitade who had been quiet since they entered the hospital stepped forward to speak up her voice and face filled with urgency, "How is my son? All we know is what has been said on the news and there's no telling how accurate that is considering it has only been a few hours since this all started…" she asked worriedly and then trailed off as they followed along behind the doctor. Lien Mei turned around and looked over her shoulder at them, "Call me Dr. Mei please; as for your son I want to warn you that this is a _very_ serious situation," she stated firmly eyeing them carefully as she stopped at a door with a single window set in it.

"The surgery IS going well and the team of surgeons we have are the best around so Ryou is in very good hands…" Dr. Mei stated and then broke off as her eyes shifted down to the medical chart that she was currently holding. Kaoru pursed his lips, "But his condition still may not improve," he declared simply as he exchanged another look with Rhodesia who nodded ever so slightly to him.

Misano stiffened and Dr. Mei held her hand up to forestall his comment, "We must be realistic about this. It appears that the knife cut through a small part of Ryou's spinal cord; the degree of damage that could result from that injury…" she paused and shook her head before adding, "You must face the possibility, no, the likelihood that your son will be partially paralyzed from this incident, but where, for how long, or if he'll ever be able to recover from it, is uncertain" she explained as Kitade gasped and covered her mouth, fresh tears springing up to her eyes.

Shifting uncomfortably Dr. Mei added, "We also are unsure what the bullet may have done to his brain. There IS going to be damage but what kind we do not know and will not know until…" she stopped and pursed her lips once again before opening the door and motioning them in. Kitade didn't hesitate and rushed in, keen to get any glimpse at all of her precious son, Misano grunted and walked in behind his wife. Kaoru nodded politely for Rhodesia and Dr. Mei to go in ahead of him and then trailed along at the back of the group. There was another door after the first and Dr. Mei quickly punched in a code on the keypad sitting above the door handle and the electronic lock flashed green before a loud click signaled that it was clear to enter.

Turning back to them she explained, "This is one of the viewing rooms right through here; you can talk to the surgeons through the intercom system that is set up," Dr. Mei informed Kitade and Misano, but their attention was already fixed on the scene playing out on the other side of the thick glass. Rhodesia and Kaoru stood back a little ways to give the distraught parents a little privacy. Misano stiffened at the sight of Ryou lying on his rightt side, his back towards them as a surgeon worked carefully to sew up the gruesome knife wound that stretched down his middle back. Meanwhile, there was a metal apparatus around Ryou's head to keep his skull in place while a large surgical robot with four large arms moved with smooth precision to remove the bullet. Over in the corner a surgeon stared with guarded attention at a complicated screen as his hands moved a joystick and dials by minute fractions, controlling the robot's every movement.

Ryou's head had been partially shaved to allow better access to his head wound and the operation was almost finished. Surgical robots were now standard for all high risk operations, using them increased the chances of survival by up to 70 percent and the potential blood loss dropped by a significant amount as well. Machines did not make the mistakes that humans did and all of them now could be equipped with "guidance systems" so that if the doctor tried to go outside of the predicted or assigned surgical area, or made a move that did not make sense, then the robot would immediately stop and refuse the command until an override or explanation was put in.

Now while the first procedure was almost done, it was clear even in the waiting room that the tension was thick and palpable for the surgeons working on Ryou's bullet wound. When Dr. Mei spoke again it was in a hushed tone of voice so as not to disturb the Misaki's concentration. "This is the most difficult and important part of the operation, any and all metal fragments that may have broken off need to be collected and removed, otherwise they could cause serious complications later on," she explained softly as the surgical robot pulled back and switched instruments before reentering slowly and methodically. There was a loud repetitive clicking that went on for several long and tense minutes before the robot moved back again dropping several tiny metal fragments onto a metal plate that a surgical tech was holding, and another arm moved into place. Fifteen minutes passed in silence as the surgeon worked and the robot responded to the commands it was given.

Finally the man at the controls relaxed and all of the other assistants and doctors nodded to him and shook hands. Turning around the man who was working the robot's controls looked over to the window and gave them a thumbs up as he motioned to one of the technician's, who walked over and pressed a small button on the wall. "Everything looks good here Lien. The operation is complete and the bullet along with all the fragments has been removed. The wound has been sealed and once the closing sutures are in place then everything will be complete," the woman explained and Dr. Mei s into a speaker on the left of the window, "Thank you, I have the boy's parents here as well so we'll wait until your finished," she added and the tech nodded at that.

Dr. Mei bowed slightly to them, "I'll give you both some privacy. If you have any questions I'll be right over there," she explained before stepping back and moving over to the other side of the room and jotting down a few things on the chart that was in her hand. Meanwhile, Rhodesia gazed over at Kaoru and his mouth twitched up into a slight smile as he nodded in response to her look. Misano noticed this movement and narrowed his eyes at the two, the resentment in his eyes was obvious to all, but Kitade shifted closer to her husband and slid her hand into his gently pulling his attention back. The man grunted and dismissed the two.

Stepping away Rhodesia motioned to Kaoru who glanced over at the two worried parents before following after her friend. The African woman whispered something to Dr. Mei who nodded and pointed towards the door as she gave her response. Thanking her, the CC Corp employee/NAB diplomat followed Kaoru out of the room and back into the hallway.

It was early morning so the hall was pretty much empty; turning to his friend the Epitaph User asked, "Ryou's body will recover just fine with very few aftereffects…Skeith will personally see to that by controlling the healing process. But what I'm most worried about is potential emotional damage that both he and Chigusa will most likely suffer through," Kaoru commented in his usual smooth voice. Rhodesia frowned slightly at that as she closed her eyes, "Point good is that. Physical condition not problem; Innis take care of Chigusa, Skeith watch over Ryou," she agreed as she glanced over towards the closed door before continuing, "Tricky business. Bad, bad feeling I have over this. Even Avatars may not able help completely. And that worry me most of all, knowing they possibly not strong enough," she commented with a worried look as she sighed and rubbed her neck.

Kaoru leaned back against the wall, "You've got a valid point there. Physically both of them will make full recoveries and Skeith and Innis will not let anyone with malevolent intent within a thousand yards of this hospital much less touch them," he added thoughtfully as a small beep came from his cell phone, he took it out and began texting even as he spoke, "This will be a big turning point for both of them. Chigusa has always been…emotionally fragile and who can blame her with parent's like that? She's always had someone there to hold together and force her to keep going. First it was Sakaki and now it's Ryou who's holding her up. But after this..." he paused and sent the message he had inputted and looked back up at his friend.

There was another beep and the hikikomori glanced back down at his cell, "…I don't know whether Ryou will be strong enough to push through and keep fighting the way he always has," Kaoru explained to her, a frown crossing his face as he read the message on his phone. "I know Ryou, and I know that he's going to blame himself for not reacting sooner…for not being strong enough to protect her. He's going to need _Chigusa's_ help this time instead of things being the other way around, and if she's not strong enough to give him the support he so badly needs right now then…" he broke off his sentence and shook his head unhappily as Rhodesia's eyes flicked down to the cell phone in his hand.

The young woman frowned slightly and leaned forward to see what he was doing even as she agreed with his comment, "True that. Relationship two-way street, but not blame Chigusa for being this way can you. Past and present experience enough to break spirit of anyone," Rhodesia established as she stared at the electronic device that Kaoru was currently tapping away on. "Who in God's earth is you talking to? Not let up since drive by your house did I," she groused looking over his shoulder curiously. The man smirked in response and shifted his position so she could see what he was doing.

Not bothering to look up at her Kaoru replied, "Thank you for letting me know about all of this and allowing me to come along by the way. And as for who I'm talking too…that would be Macha. She's with Skeith and Innis at the moment and since both Ryou and Chigusa are out of commission I'm giving her constant updates so she can in turn relay them back to the other Avatars. Apparently the Terror of Death is complaining about the lack of adequate speakers and/or microphones in this hospital and has enlisted her as his messenger since she has nothing better to do," Kaoru added, his mouth pulling up into a smile at that last part.

Rolling her eyes Rhodesia leaned back and twisted one of her braids around her index finger, "Like babysitting children this is," she said sighing heavily as she gave a small yawn and rubbed her temple. Kaoru noticed this and his expression narrowed slightly, he knew that with this whole Aihane situation she must not be getting much, if any, sleep. She had to be exhausted physically and emotionally, but still she had come out here personally to oversee the situation. Even now he could see that her constant energy and enthusiasm were beginning to flag and, while most would never notice, Kaoru could see the weariness in her eyes.

With power like her's came great accountability and something should happen to himself, or any of the other G.U. members, then Rhodesia would be the one taking the blame for it, and in a high position like that mistakes would _not_ be forgiven or forgotten. A mistake here with the Avatar's or their chosen Master's could very well ruin Rhodesia's entire career and future; she had a lot riding on this and her desire to do what was in the best interests of the G.U. members rather than the government was a fine, fragile line.

There were a lot of things Kaoru could have said about how she was doing her best and about how he knew how dangerous a position she was in, but instead he said, "Thank you," it was a simple comment and Rhodesia's eyes popped open at the sound of his voice. She raised an eyebrow curiously, not quite understanding what he was getting at.

Elaborating Kaoru added, "I know that you will do what is _best_ for all of us…not just what you're told by CC Corp or the NAB," he explained as he put his phone away and straightened up. There was a long pause before he added, "I trust you," he finished calmly but sincerely, just as earnestly as he had been when pledging his loyalty and strength to Haseo in The World.

The woman seemed surprised for a moment before smiling wearily at her friend, "Thanks…need all support possible do I," Rhodesia said gratefully and her expression perked up a bit; she knew how hard it was for Kaoru to open himself up to others. As far as she knew Kaoru had never had an easy time forming friendships, and it had only worsened after Mia was taken from him. Having his trust really did mean a lot to her.

Satisfied Kaoru nodded to confirm his statement and looked over at the sound of a door opening. "Looks like they're done with the operation," he commented as Ryou was wheeled out on a hospital bed, his head thickly wrapped in bandages and strapped down to keep him from moving and possibly aggravating the wound should he wake up or move suddenly. Misano and Kitade also came out and were immediately by their son's side. Leaning over the railing Kitade reached over to place a hand on her son's upper arm, it was one of the few places not bandaged or covered with IV lines. A small cry of distress escaped her lips and tears welled up in her eyes as she stroked his face gently.

Dr. Mei motioned to a machine that was being wheeled along beside the unconscious Ryou, "His lungs are very weak so we've put in a breathing tube and hooked him up to supplementary oxygen to assist him for the time being," she explained as one of the technicians carefully adjusted the airflow. Misano's face was pale and his usual stoic face twisted with shock and pain as he saw his son's condition. "Where….where will you take him now?" the businessman finally managed to get out and Dr. Mei pointed down the hall, "One floor down to the Intensive Care Unit so that his condition can be monitored more completely along with that of his girlfriend Chigusa's," she said trying to be reassuring, but ended up shrinking back in surprise when Misano turned around and glared fiercely at her.

"Girlfriend?!" he blurted with obvious anger and Dr. Mei fumbled around for an explanation, "Well…uh…it's just…well with all due respect sir, your son DID drive all the way from Tokyo and endured a very perilous car chase in order to reach her and…" the woman broke off as the man narrowed his eyes, clearly disconcerted by her opinion. Shaking her head Rhodesia stepped in to rescue the flustered doctor who was trying to come up with some type of explanation that would appease Misano; placing a hand on his shoulder the African woman said, "Eager must be spend time with your son. Can learn more about Chigusa later on. Ryou most important now and need parent's both he does," she gently but firmly reminded them.

Lifting his chin proudly Misano nodded and gave Dr. Mei one last haughty stare before putting his arms around his wife and guiding her down the hallway after Ryou as he was wheeled down towards the elevators.

There was a moment of silence before Kaoru spoke up, "I would take it Ryou has failed to inform them about his relationship with Chigusa?" he said looking curiously over at his friend. Quickly Rhodesia held up her hands in self-defense and shook her head firmly, "Out of such personal things be keeping myself. Enough on plate as is. Not paid manage relationships with you all am I," she confessed helplessly and Dr. Mei smiled at that as the tension was broken.

Turning to them she bowed slightly to Rhodesia, "I understand that you are from the Network Administration Bureau, but you are…" Dr. Mei paused and looked over at Kaoru whose careless, if not apathetic, appearance seemed to be garnering a lot of attention this early morning. Smooth but firm Rhodesia inclined her body towards him, "My advisor he be. Work closely and on current situation along with me closely Kaoru has been. Trust him all the way do I," she explained resolutely, making it clear that wherever she went, he was coming along as well.

Dr. Mei's glance slid over to Kaoru and she perused him with a slightly skeptical eye; taking in his rumpled and unkempt appearance. The woman had an, "If you say so" look on her face and nodded slowly, taking those comments at face value. "Very well then. I know there must be some things you don't want to public to know about…?" she questioned hesitantly as she nodded towards a TV that was mounted farther down the hallway near a row of chairs. With a smile on her lips Rhodesia turned to Kaoru who looked bored and was slouched over with his hands in his pockets. "What say you think?" she inquired pleasantly, turning to get his opinion.

The man was silent for a moment before saying, "Ryou is in serious condition and is being monitored in the ICU. Chigusa is in serious but stable condition in the ICU as well. Nothing else is to be released until further notice. We will take care of the police. Only the most basic of information is to be exchanged unless one of us gives you permission first," Kaoru ordered her and Rhodesia slapped her hands together, "Good sound to me," she agreed amiably as she nodded to Dr. Mei, "Hear him do you? Serious situation have we here. Information not out until we say, understand…Dr. Mei?" she questioned with steel underlying her words.

Snapping to attention Dr. Mei quickly bowed respectfully to Rhodesia again, "I will do as you request. Do you have a number at which I can contact you should something unexpected develop as it surely will?" she questioned calmly, recognizing the seriousness of the situation. Rhodesia reached into her pocketbook pulled out a blank card and handed it to Kaoru who raised an eyebrow. Explaining herself the African woman gestured ever so faintly to the pocket containing his cell phone and the Epitaph User hummed in understanding as she handed him a pen.

Kaoru gave the pen a click and began writing down a number and name, "Should someone other then the two of us pick up the phone than tell them that you are from the hospital overseeing the care of Ryou Misaki and Chigusa Kusaka," he explained before handing Dr. Mei the card. She thanked them and examined it before nodding and putting it in her coat pocket. "I'll contact you as soon as I have any information. There is another doctor overseeing the care of Chigusa. She is currently in room 564 on the fourth floor, but if you give me a minute I'll see to it that you are given clearance to see her," she offered helpfully, gesturing to the phone over on the nurse's desk. Rhodesia thanked her and Dr. Mei walked over and picked up the phone, after talking to someone for a few moments she hung up and motioned to them.

"Follow me please, I'll take you there myself," Dr. Mei offered before leading them back to the elevators. They went down a floor and upon stepping out of the elevator turned right and walked down the hallway past spacious hospital rooms with glass fronts and doors. Kaoru stared at them curious as he turned to the doctor, "So that you can better monitor their health and condition I presume," he stated curiously and she glanced back over her should at him. "Yes, some of these people are accident victims, others are criminals or suspects like…." the woman paused and pursed her lips but it was clear what she was going to say.

"Suspects like Ryou?" Kaoru commented and Dr. Mei dipped her head, "I am here to heal the wounded, not to judge. I will leave the bickering to you and the police," she replied evenly as they came to a door being guarded by two policemen. There was an American doctor standing just outside the door with a worried look on his face. Upon seeing Dr. Mei his look changed to one of curiosity as he saw Rhodesia and Kaoru walking along behind his coworker and he stood up straighter as they came closer.

Stopping in front of him Dr. Mei introduced the man, "I would like you to meet Dr. Ian Evans he's just transferred here from the states and he was the one who first took care of Ms. Kusaka down in the Emergency Room. He will continue to oversee her care up here in the ICU," she explained as her coworker shook both of their hands. But he didn't waste time on pleasantries and jumped right in. Rubbing his neck uneasily the Dr. Evans glanced over at the policeman and kept his voice low so only they could hear him.

"I'm afraid we have a problem with her…mental status," he finally admitted uneasy and flustered. "She passed out and managed to sleep for a little bit, but when I heard that she was awake again I came up here as soon as I could to see if I could get her to willing give up some information about this whole fiasco. I know the police are eager to get this investigation on with so they can get some information to the curious masses…but I felt it prudent to be easy on her and give her some space after the trauma she's been through," Dr. Evans blurted out and then blinked as he realized he was starting to ramble on and paused to clear his throat.

Hesitantly he glanced back over his shoulder towards the room before continuing, "Well I spoke to her a little when she was down in the ER and while she won't be talking anytime soon because of the injuries to her throat, I could tell that she was at least lucid enough to comprehend what I was saying and to wonder about what had happened to young Mr. Misaki, but now…now when I just finished trying to talk to her she didn't know who I was at all, and when I mentioned the name Ryou Misaki she didn't respond, yet when I mentioned her father she was clearly distressed and upset, despite the fact that just seconds earlier she had not reacted at all to hearing his name. She also didn't recognize her own name, but when I asked where she lived and read off the address to Ms. Kusaka, she nodded and agreed that she did live there," Dr. Evans said all in one breath and Dr. Mei frowned at that

Kaoru, who had his cell phone out yet again, chimed in at this point, "Psychogenic or dissociative amnesia. It stems from emotional shock or trauma, such as when a person is the victim of a violent crime like Chigusa has been. It can last anywhere from a few hours to weeks or months," he commented with calm understanding, "With this type of amnesia a person may lose personal memories and/or autobiographical information along with the other problems that amnesia can cause, such as false or misplaced memories and neurologic problems like uncoordinated movements. With the trauma that her father has put her through I can't say I'm surprised at this result no matter how unfortunate it may be for her. The poor girl never can seem to get a break," Kaoru added with genuine compassion and sympathy in his voice.

That last sentence immediately caught both doctors attention and Lien Mei raised an eyebrow at that, "She…never can seem to get a break?" she questioned with suspicious curiosity but Kaoru just gave a secretive smile as Rhodesia flipped a hand through her braids, "Think we talk her with yes? Once know where is at her, then know what do next will us. Think right do you?" she asked turning to Kaoru who shrugged, "Might as well. But I wouldn't be worried about her amnesia. The events of the past week must have been extremely traumatic for Chigusa. I'm willing to bet that it will resolve itself by tomorrow night or at the very latest a couple of days. Chigusa Kusaka is undeniably in shock because of what her father has done to her and being forced to watch what happened to Ryou as well. Her amnesia won't last very long; there is no reason to dwell on it. As long as she is well supported during the short time she does have to deal with this amnesia then everything should be okay," he warned, a frown forming on his face as he sent off another text message. Rhodesia sidled up to him and glanced over his shoulder at his phone frowning herself as Dr. Evans spoke up.

Holding up his hands he spoke with the authority of a concerned doctor, "I know all of that and I agree thoroughly with you, especially when it comes to having a good support system of friends to help her through this. But while I'm sure you have good reasons for wanting to talk to her immediately, and knowing as I do that I can't really _stop_ you from doing so, I still must insist that she be left alone at least until midmorning. Aside from the nurses attending to her of course," he stated firmly and Rhodesia glanced over at him as Kaoru mumbled something to her.

The African woman scowled at that before straightening up and sighing heavily, her face serious, "Come up situation has and go must we. Tell us first should Chigusa say something. Matter of national security this might be understand?" Rhodesia commanded in a no nonsense tone of voice and the two doctors exchanged a look before Dr. Mei nodded slowly in agreement, remembering that Rhodesia was indeed from the NAB and therefore pretty much outranked anyone else in Chiba and probably the entire surrounding area. Motioning to Kaoru she quickly brushed past the physicians and the hikikomori nodded to them before following along behind her, speaking to her in hushed but disturbed conversation as they hurried down the hallway and entered the elevators.

* * *

Magus snarled in frustration as the Helen AIDA dodged yet another of his attacks and used Pascal Bullet to tear apart the data that he had just barely finished copying. With his propagation ability the Avatar could replicate data down to each and every individual line of code if he needed to. That was how he had managed to make a clone of himself during the fight between Kuhn and Haseo in the Demon Palace Arena.

It was different from Innis' ability in that he could _only_ make replicas of computer code, Innis for her part could craft illusions and mirages based on images, memories, sounds, or just bits and pieces from other places. Anything she created would have the exact properties of the original, but when thoroughly inspected it would be obvious that what she had done was just a false image despite its flawless appearance. Magus on the other hand worked on a deeper level, anyone examining his technique would find a perfect clone. The Mirage of Deceit manipulated surface data while The Propagation manipulated the heart, the raw code that went into every little dot and keystroke on a computer screen.

The Helen AIDA swam closer and Magus managed to get in one last hit, his claws ripping deep gouges in its side and revealing the data underneath. The virus gave an irritated warble as it turned around to retaliate, but Magus was finished here and dodged out of the way. "Gorre I'm done! Get me out of here!" he ordered as more data tears appeared and several Anna slipped into the area and immediately firing off their Algol lasers in retaliation. With a startled yelp Magus crossed his arms and used Leaf Shield, six leaves forming a shield around him and deflecting the black lasers.

As seconds past and nothing happened Magus shook his fist in the air angrily, "What's taking you so long you stupid teddy bears? I'm in trouble here! Hurry up and get me out of this place before these AIDA turn me into data dust!" he demanded as the Helen charged towards him with Lisp Tackle only to slam into his sheild.

"Hinote hurry up!"

"It would be ready already if you weren't so slow Taiga!" came the sharp-edged retort.

It was originally Macha who had come up with the idea of giving the two parts of Gorre names; Hinote meaning fire or blaze for the red part that obeyed Saku, and Taiga which meant river for the blue part that obeyed Bo. The Temptress said she chose those particular names because one part of Gorre was fierce and hostile like burning flames, while the other was peaceful and calming like a river; that in and of itself had led to an argument, with the calmer part of Gorre trying desperately to calm down his "sister". Needless to say ever since then the names had stuck, and while the calmer part of Gorre never had a problem with it in the first place, the other part controlled by Saku had taken some convincing before finally given in.

They were currently working on a data purge that would completely corrupt the data space beyond recovery; it would be effectively useless and would force the AIDA to leave lest they too get caught in the blast. After all Gorre wasn't called The Machinator for nothing. They were experts at creating viruses, purges, data bombs, worms, and all other manner of bugs to corrode and corrupt data.

_If they every finish preparing it that is!_ Magus thought in exasperation as he and he alone, for Tarvos was busy back in a separate part of the outer dungeon they had claimed, was forced to evade the attacks coming at him from every direction imaginable. In a few minutes they would have him completely surrounded which was no doubt what Aihane wanted. But even so there was something that seemed…off…with this attack. Magus looked over his shoulder and saw some AIDA hanging back, almost as if they were reluctant, while others attacked him in an almost crazed fashion with haphazard recklessness, unconcerned for their own safety. Still others were more cunning and waited patiently for an opening before attacking with quick, relentless ferocity.

The Epitaph paused for a moment and jolted back as his Leaf Shield was broken through. Temporarily stunned Magus could only float there uselessly as a Helen lined and fired off a Prolog Laser and the four black lasers shot towards him with dead on accuracy. Magus tensed up, he was wide open to attack and there was no way he could dodge this attack. But before it could connect there was a slight ringing sound and the graphics distorted around him as black dots swarmed around him forming a curved wall around the Avatar. The attack slammed into the "wall" and the black mass stretched and bent inwards at the points of impact but refused to break and when the attack ended it snapped back into shape before bursting apart and encircling Magus.

The mass of AIDA wrapped around him and Magus clawed furiously at it as it slammed into his body and entered his data, altering and changing it. The Epitaph could _feel_ the data anomaly sliding around inside of him and he shuddered in disgust.

"Magus! No!" Tarvos called out as he doubled over, loosing control of his body as the AIDA forced him into submission.

Magus snarled in frustration as he prepared to use his Propagation ability to get away; it would mean using the code he had so carefully copied and reproduced, the military documents, blueprints, and code that they had to keep away from AIDA, and thus by extension Aihane, at all costs.

But his body wouldn't obey, Magus couldn't activate his Propagation ability or even use any of his other attacks. The black dots finished streaming into his body and a bubbled around him as the other AIDA that Aihane had sent swarmed around at a distance, unsure of what was going on.

_Hold still you stupid creature! I'm trying to help you get out of here! Unless you want to be another one of Aihane's pawns like those other poor fools over there then hold still already!_ A highly irritated voice demanded angrily as one of the Helen AIDA ventured closer as if to attack and Magus' body seized violently as the AIDA controlling him forced the Epitaph to straighten up; the black aura around him increased exponentially as the words Forest Thorns scrawled through the air. The green leaf-like appendages on the Avatar's tail glowed brightly before bursting off and darting through the air towards the fish AIDA, who stopped immediately and turned around to try and get back to the safety of its fellows who were scattering as well. They leaves on Magus' tail regenerated immediately as the other continued to dart and buzz through the air.

Seeing that it wasn't going to make it in time the Helen whipped around and fired off several orbs of pink energy with Pascal Bullet. But the sharp leaf-like "thorns" abruptly changed direction, swerving around the attack and several slammed into the Helen's side glowing green at the site of impact and dissolving the data around them, eating away at the AIDA's body. Thin ribbons of symbols and numbers peeled away from the data anomaly as it lashed around trying to fend off the other thorns that were darting around the space above and below its head. Its tail managed to hit one and the thorn exploded violently and the Helen twisted the other way its head hitting another one with the same effect.

When the explosion cleared Magus could see that its tail was gone and there was a giant hole on the left side of its head where it had gotten caught in the explosion; the raw code was clearly exposed and the other green and gold edged thorns exploded as well, leaving nothing but a jumbled mass of data that drifted down uselessly below the opposing fighters.

Magus had just recently developed that particular ability, but he had been saving it for a desperate occasion. _Well no better situation than this one I suppose. But I would have liked to use it myself instead of this…THING controlling me, _he thought with mixed satisfaction as the other AIDA pressed back, moving away from the Epitaph as a clear ripple of surprise moved through them. Magus could almost see the wheels turning in their heads as they reconsidered the situation. Why had one of their own attacked them? Shouldn't this new AIDA have taken control of the Epitaph, subdued it, and then joined them?

It didn't make much sense to Magus either but he wasn't going to complain about this unexpected rescue. The Third Phase could hear a snort of satisfaction in his head as the AIDA spoke up once again.

_I don't have time to explain and I'm not going to bother. Just be glad I'm on the side of you and your humans instead of that slave master Aihane, _the mysterious AIDA chastised fiercely, forcing Magus arms up as black dots shot out and tore open a hole in the data as a means of escape. _I think its time to leave, don't you Magus?_ it questioned putting Magus body into motion and quickly dashing up and towards passageway as Gorre finally reacted. If forced the Avatar to pause at the opening and look down.

"Bombs away! I'm sending the purge right now!" Gorre Hinote chirped, opening a portal of her own and sending a concentrated mass of data that dropped like a stone past the other AIDA before hitting bottom and bursting apart, completely dissolving all the data it came in contact with as it expanded and spread upwards and outwards. Frantic the AIDA darted around opening data tears and vanishing through them as they fought to escape the impending attack. Some weren't fast enough and were caught by the leading edge of the shockwave. Immediately they froze up as the graphics around them distorted and flickered wildly before they disintegrated, their code corrupted and fragmented into useless pieces.

_Not bad. Though I think our time here is finished up. Let's leave shall we?_ The AIDA commented elegantly once again forcing Magus' body to move against his will. Under the AIDA's control, the Epitaph darted up through the data tear, which closed seamlessly behind him the moment he was through. The vast area of the network flew past at incredible speeds as the AIDA passageway connected to another part of the network and transferred them to that location. In less then a second Magus was forcibly expelled back into the part of the outer dungeon where Tarvos and Gorre were currently held up in.

With a startled yelp the Third Phase was unceremoniously ejected out of the data transfer corridor and back into the fringes of The World's network system. He crashed landed on the floor right in front of Tarvos as black dots bubbled around him before sliding backwards off of his body. Quickly Magus placed his hands on the ground and lifted himself up, shaking his head in disgust as the AIDA removed itself from his internal systems. Jumping up the Epitaph's tail curled in revulsion, "Eeeewwwww! Yuck! That is SOOOO not right! I feel violated! Desecrated! Next time ask before jumping on me like that!" Magus cried out as he shivered and scratched his body as if to remove some invisible taint that the data anomaly had put on him.

Tarvos snorted at that and crossed her arms, suspicious but reserving judgment for the moment seeing as it **had** just saved Magus like that. Gorre naturally had mixed feelings about the matter and Hinote Gorre punched her fists in the air, "Who do you think you are taking control of Magus like that?! You better watch out or I'll fire off a data bomb that will blow you from here to the depths of the Silicon Abyss!" she threatened angrily waving her arms at him even as Gorre Taiga tried to pull her back.

Pretty much everyone was familiar with the term Silicon Valley, which was a nickname for a part of California having a high concentration of engineers and high-tech businesses, but years ago the term Silicon Abyss had come into everyday usage when the first full scale mapping project of the Internet revealed an area of the network that contained a vast, seemingly endless, collection of websites and data that primarily focused on technology, or had companies in control of large-scale highly advanced computer engines such as Google and Yahoo! Some of the websites in this part of the internet were also infamous for _losing _highly important information as well, hence the term Abyss at the end.

The black mass that was AIDA shifted and stretched, taking shape and forming into a solid shape until a large snake-like AIDA sat coiled there in front of them. Its body was a deep but vibrant green with larger gold scales running down its back from head to tail and across its flared out hood. The data anomaly tilted its head slightly, flicking a forked tail in and out as it examined them; with Magus still whining in the background. Finally the corners of its mouth pulled back, revealing its fangs in a toothy grin.

"Sorry for that. But there was little time left and I felt it prudent to act instead of wasting precious time trying to explain my intentions to you. I managed to catch you when you were stunned and off guard, there was only a small window of opportunity before your internal systems would reestablish and I would be prevented from taking control of you," the cobra explained bowing its head to them with respect before straightening up and turning to Tarvos, the defacto leader of the other Epitaphs. Skeith _could_ be the leader if he wanted too, but he had little interest in the position and just left everything in Tarvos capable hands. On the few occasions that he _did_ choose to speak up though, the others always listened and tended to follow his direction in the end.

The Avenger was silent for a moment before speaking up and addressing the AIDA, "I thank you for rescuing Magus like that…but I'm sure you understand my hesitancy. AIDA has been our enemy for a long time and as yet I see no reason to think differently of them…or you for that matter. Just what do you expect to gain from us? Why did you make contact with us like this?" she questioned in a frosty tone of voice, crossing her arms defensively as Taiga Gorre managed to calm his other half down sufficiently enough for her to listen to what was being said.

The AIDA flicked its tail idly back and forth, "First off I suppose I should introduce myself," it commented with the same calm composure as before, "My name is Abtrunniger and I WAS hiding out in that German military website before Aihane managed to track me down and started that full scale assault you happened to get into the middle of. Even though that human is a skilled hacker, I had thoroughly hidden myself within the code so it would have taken an extraordinary amount of time had he tried to go line by line to fish me out, and I would have been able to escape long before he ever finished anyway. So instead he sent out some of the AIDA fragments he has captured so far and had them tear everything apart in order to flush me out," the cobra explain, puffing up indignantly as his tongue flicked in and out once again.

He tilted his head thoughtfully before adding, "I'll explain the details later, but in short…I am here to join you," Abtrunniger stated with calm finality.

* * *

Takumi sighed as he sat down in the recliner in his living room. He took another sip of wine as he stared down at the pill bottle in his hand; the container was now mostly empty. _Four pills left…not that it makes a difference. The ones I took already are more than enough. It…will only be a few minutes now…a few minutes and it will all be over…it feels like its been an eternity since Fidchell was taken from me and CC Corp removed me from my position because I wasn't able to keep going. Soon all the pain will be gone for good, _he thought consolingly as he reached over and put the wine glass over on the lamp stand to his right.

He just couldn't take it anymore…the pain…the loneliness, the agony of losing everything that he had ever lived for. Fidchell, Aura, The World itself, and the there was Reiko…she had been pulled as tight as one possibly could be with all of her responsibilities at CC Corp and trying to keep The World up and running as normally and smoothly as possible. And not only that but she had been using the extremely scant free time she got to herself to watch over him and make sure that he was okay.

_She deserves a lot better than me. I will always love The World before anything else…I would never be able to give her the kind of attention she deserves, _Takumi considered as the overdose of sleeping pills began to take effect. After Fidchell had been ripped away from him he had been unable to sleep and suffered from horrible bouts of insomnia. After being unable to get any rest whatsoever for over a week, he had visited a doctor and gotten a prescription for extremely powerful sleeping pills. Of course the side effects left him drained the following day every time, only adding to his depression and misery.

Seeing his decline CC Corp had brought in Rhodesia Tsanvi Kajongwe to replace him and better their chances of catching Aihane. They had tried to maneuver matters so that they could drop him from his position, and Takumi _did _admit that he hadn't been doing anything to try and hold onto it either, but Rhodesia would not stand for it and insisted that Takumi, or Yata head of G.U., stay on and continue doing whatever he possibly could. She had put up such a passionate argument for him that the higher ups had been properly shamed into backing off and never brought it up again. The African woman made it a point to tell him everything that was going on, despite the fact that she was his boss and technically wasn't even required to speak to him at all.

_I must admit she does an even better job than I thought…even better than I possibly could…I have no reason to stay here…no reason to be alive. Fidchell was wrong in choosing me as his partner and once I'm gone he will find someone else…someone far better suited to the task. There's nothing left for me here anymore,_ Takumi's eyes slowly slid shut as the numerous pills took effect, their chemicals flooding his nervous system along with the alcohol he had just finished drinking.

_That's right…no…body…needs…me…any…more,_ Takumi let out one final breath as his head dropped down to his chest, his breath slow and slowing down gradually until several minutes passed and finally his lungs exhaled for the last and final time. His body stilled completely and his hand fell open, the prescription bottle slid down into his lap and then to the floor, the overdose warning placed prominently on the side and glowing clearly in the lamp light.

Sitting on the table was a large envelope stuffed with a letter that he had written out before taking the pills, along with legal papers that he'd had prepared for weeks prior in case something should happen to him. Everything was taken care of. His final will and resolve had been passed on to Ryou, Chigusa, Kuhn, Kaoru, Reiko, and now Rhodesia, who was just as fiercely protective of The World and the network as he had been. There was nothing left and nothing more he could do, and in those final moments, knowing that The World was in safe hands…Takumi Hino, creator of the PC's Yata and Wiseman, guardian of a system unlike any other….was finally and truly satisfied.

* * *

**AN:** Sorry about the long wait you all but I packed in plenty of things to keep you interested did I not? Now for a little more insight into this chapter.

First of all Rhodesia's name. Her middle name Tsanvi means clever or intelligent, while her last name Kajongwe is supposed to mean Flame Lily. The Flame Lily, or Gloriosa, is the national flower of Zimbabwe and in that country it blooms in the spring, which for them is from about October to March or something. Both are from the Shona language that most in Zimbabwe speak.

Before you pelt me with reviews and private messages let me assure you that CHIGUSA'S AMNESIA IS _**TEMPORARY**_. So don't get all up in arms just yet okay? I mean she's unquestionably a girl with a lot of emotional trouble and after going through events like these its natural to have some damage. It will clear up in few days so don't go and panic on me. I was just trying to make the story more realistic believable alright?

Oh, a new AIDA! The cobra AIDA known as Abtrunniger is indeed going to be sticking around and his name means renegade in German. You'll learn more about him in later chapters.

Trying to distinguish the two parts of Gorre can get _**really**_ old _**really**_ fast. So I decided to name them Hinote, meaning flame or combustion, and Taiga meaning river. Both Japanese words meant to describe their respective attitudes. Nothing indepth or drawn out on that front.

Finally Yata, his real name Takumi Hino. I thought about it for a while and decided that he was the unfortunate victim. I mean look at how he reacted when he was dropped from G.U. and Sakaki took over in Volume 3 of the video games. Losing Fidchell has torn him apart, leaving him a shell of who he used to be. Sad to say but under the circumstances an outcome like this was really to be expected. Takumi was depressed, lonely, extremely guilty for losing Fidchell and, in his mind, possibly dooming The World to destruction at Aihane's hands, and to compound the problem he wasn't even in the frame of mind to continue working for CC Corp. All of the pressure, stress, and guilt finally caught up to him and he decided he didn't want to live anymore. I had a scenario in mind but then changed it at the last minute to this, it seemed more fitting for a man of his caliber. Sleeping pills can be very powerful and I figured that if he took enough he would just fall asleep and not wake up.

I didn't do any research on that overdose part so if I'm wrong about it, TOO BAD!

Next chapter the news of what has happened to Takumi/Yata spreads to the other G.U. members and to Fidchell himself as well.

Also a moment I'm sure many of you were wondering about….Ovan is back! Masato Indou, creator of the PC known as Ovan shall be appearing…and Shino will come back on the scene as well, and she's been hiding quite a secret from Ryou and the others. But I'm not telling what it is just yet!

Thanks for reading and don't forget those reviews!


	25. My Last Breath

**AN:** Hello again everyone! I know I didn't do research on the whole Yata/Takumi overdose scene in the last chapter (I was lazy alright?) but thankfully LordofVermillion was kind enough to look up some info and confirm that I was right! So kudos and much gratitude to you!

This whole timeline thing was bothering me since I needed to have some kind of idea of where things were in order to do this chapter. I went back through every chapter I had done so far and after adding up the weeks, days, and "gray areas" where I had oh-so-conveniently forgotten to put anything in, I figured out that since Cubia was defeated and Shino woke up it has been 2 months, 3 weeks, and probably a day or two. It's nothing earth shatteringly important, but I thought maybe you would like to know. I also looked at the Timeline on the dothack wikia (www(dot)dothack(dot)wikia(dot)com if you want to see for yourself) and found out that I needed to shift things around a bit in a chapter or two, not that anyone will really notice the difference unless they have _really_ been paying attention to every detail…which I doubt.

So instead of typing out a long explanation for you all, just suffice it to say that I looked at the official/canon Timeline of .hack Events, made a few basic calculations, and now for our Epitaph Users (i.e. in the realm of fanfiction land) it is the end of November, Ryou and Chigusa are in the Chiba Hospital, and a new AIDA has popped up and decided to join up with the other Avatars as you all know.

Now onward to this chapter, which rewinds the clock a bit. It will start back at the beginning to show what Shino was up to while Haseo, Atoli, and everyone else of G.U. was trying to stop/track down Aihane. Then it catch up to where the last chapter left off.

I know Shino made a brief appearance many chapters back, but now you'll see what she's been doing all this time. She's been keeping a bit of a secret from Ryou/Haseo and the others…^_-

So enough of my babbling. Here is the chapter so read on and enjoy everyone!

Chapter 25: My Last Breath

* * *

Shino Nanao sighed with relief as her hands tightened on the bag that was resting in her lap. She had just finished visiting with her psychiatrist and he had written a new prescription to help combat her Depression. The side effects of the medications were getting to be more than she could handle; so after setting up an appointment he had lowered the dosage on one prescription, switched two of the others, and dropped the last one. Now she was on just two medications instead of four. Shino had been battling Depression ever since she had hit her teenage years and in that time had gone through numerous treatments, medications, and side effects. Weight loss, fatigue, trouble sleeping, feeling hopeless and sad, losing interest in normal activities, and at one period thoughts of suicide…they all affected her at some point and still did at times.

During her teenage years she hadn't been on any medication because most anti-depressants had 'suicidal thoughts' as a side effect and she was already having trouble with that; so her psychiatrist had decided to hold off on the prescriptions until she was a little older. Now though she was 22 and her psychiatrist had had her on medicine for just over a year. But lately she had been having headaches and pain in her joints for no clear reason, so in addition to a pain killer, she was on a new anti-depressant that had been approved and released to the public several years ago.

_Hopefully this will make things better. I have enough going on as it is, _Shino considered as the train slowed and came to a stop. She stood up and managed to slip out just before the rush of other commuters bowled her over. Playing 'The World' had helped as well and meeting Ovan had marked a definite turning point in her life. Shino could still remember the first time she had meet him, the same day he had invited her to join the Twilight Brigade, a Guild that he had just created. She had accepted of course and their friendship had grown exponentially from there.

Tabby was there for here as well and the perky teen was certainly a good friend who had been, and still was, a huge help during Shino's bouts of Depression. _I really do appreciate all over her help and I don't know what I would do without her support, but…it just isn't the same as being able to talk with Ovan. I can't open up to her the way I can with him,_ Shino thought with a sigh as she exited the station and flagged down a taxi. The vehicle pulled over and she slipped in, telling the driver her destination and in seconds they were off once again.

Shino didn't blame Ovan for PKing her and sending her into a coma. She knew that it had been an accident, that hadn't meant for it to happen to her or anyone else. As for what he had done after that…the young woman pursed her lips as she stared down at the shoulder bag in her lap. Ovan, or Masato Indou as he was known offline, had bought it for her as a gift the last time they had met in person. His job had kept him pretty busy most of the time, but he had always made time to see her when she needed to talk or just wanted to see him. She looked up and stared out of the window as she thought about what Ovan had done, the trouble he had cause inside The World, and all of the people who had been PKed because of AIDA and the acts that he had personally committed.

Frowning slightly Shino's thoughts turned to what she had been told about the entire incident. Yata, the Guildmaster of Raven and leader of G.U., had explained to her about AIDA and how Ovan had been infected by it, as well as what he had done, how the Epitaphs were able to fight off the data anomaly, and how Corbenik's Rebirth ability had cleansed the internet of AIDA. At least that was what they had thought at the time. Tri-Edge had been destroyed, but the rest of AIDA had been fragmented and dispersed back through The World and the rest of the internet. Shino had asked him about Ovan as well, but his response was not what she had been hoping to hear.

_Ovan's mind was badly damaged by the rebirth of the internet and his consciousness fell into the Sea of Data…a place where deleted, discarded, and junk data from The World and other similar online games is dumped. Yata said CC Corp thinks that this is where Aura retreated to after leaving The World. They know that this is were Ovan's mind and consciousness most likely are but…there's no way of retrieving him or knowing whether or not he'll ever wake up again, _Shino thought, her hands gripping the bag more tightly at that all to real possibility.

Shaking her head at that line of reasoning, Shino frowned and pushed those thoughts away; refusing to think badly of her friend, _Tri-Edge chose Ovan, **not** the other way around. He had no other choice. With an AIDA that powerful infecting him he very well could have lost his consciousness and willpower completely, a vessel for Tri-Edge and nothing more. He almost ran out of time as it was. If his plan hadn't worked he would have lost his mind completely to AIDA…and as it is now he's lying in a hospital bed with no way of knowing whether or not he'll ever wake up again,_ Shino considered as she glanced down at her watch to check the time. Masato was lying in a private room and the floor he was on had strict visiting hours. She would make it just as visiting hours opened up.

She had discovered his location about 2 weeks after the defeat of Cubia. Well, technically, she had gotten an e-mail tipping her off and telling her to go to a certain hospital in her home area of Saitama. The e-mail address said that it had come from someone at CC Corp, but at the end of the message it also said to stay quiet about the matter until after she had seen Masato/Ovan for herself. So Shino had decided to sit on the matter until she found out whether or not Masato was really at the aforementioned hospital. On her first trip all the way across town, closer to Chiba, she had been extremely nervous…hoping…praying that he would be there; and he _had_ been there.

Shino had asked for his name at the front desk, but nothing came up, she had gone back and forth with the admissions clerk for a while, even going so far as to pull out a photo she had of him and her together, but that had only gotten her a deep frown for her effort. Finally she had given her the date from a few weeks ago when the internet had reset due to Corbenik's rebirth ability and said, guessed would be a more accurate term really, that he had been brought in on that day. Her shot in the dark had turned out to be correct and she had been allowed to go up and see him. When she did get the chance to see him in person she could see why the mysterious e-mail had warned her against telling anyone…especially Haseo. To this day it had been 2 weeks since she had first visited Masato in the hospital, 4 weeks total since the defeat of Cubia, and longer since he and Corbenik had been lost and fallen into a coma. Still she hadn't told anyone that she had found Ovan in the real world. It would crush Haseo to see Masato the way he was now.

Shino took a deep breath and let it out as she closed her eyes at the memory…the memory of him lying there dead to the world with IV lines stuck in his arms to keep his body hydrated and nourished, along with an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth to aid his breathing. It had hurt so much to see the person who had been such a strong man and leader lying there so helpless and weak.

_It still hurts…I've just gotten better at dealing with it,_ she thought with a pained smile as she opened her eyes and looked up. They had reached they're destination so Shino took out her cell phone and swiped it over the scanner in front of her, paying the fee with the phone's e-wallet function as the taxi driver pulled around to the door on the North Wing. Carrying cash or even credit cards was pretty rare these days. Every cell phone could be connected to a person's bank account and thereafter used to pay for anything from your coffee in the morning to a new car. She put in a generous tip for the driver, who had actually been very careful compared to some others she had ridden with, and the man turned around and smiled warmly at her as she got out.

She stared up at the multilevel hospital before walking forward up the sidewalk and past other visitors and hospital personnel who were lingering outside. The air conditioning swept over her in a frigid cloud of air as she went through the automatic doors. The one thing she definitely did not miss from her stay in the hospital was the omnipresent chill that seemed to pervade the air. Shino shivered and rubbed her arms as she walked up to the Admissions desk, forcing a polite smile onto her face she leaned over onto the counter, "Hello ma'am. I'm here to see Masato Indou," she informed the woman courteously and the woman hummed and tapped away on the keyboard as she looked up the name.

"Ahh, here we go! Fourth floor, room 420," the clerk took a _visitors_ sticker and scribbled the number out onto it before handing it to Shino who frowned slightly as she peeled it off and put in on the side of her bag. Looking back up she asked, "That number was different yesterday. Why do you know why they moved him?" she questioned, glancing over at a large map posted in the entranceway as she spoke. The clerk pulled up another screen on the computer and shrugged "All his chart says is that he woke up late last night or early this morning," she replied, but Shino had stopped listening after the words "woke up" and was already hurrying over to the elevators.

_Masato's awake? But how? What happened? _Shino thought urgently as she just barely managed to make it into elevator before it closed silently. She nodded politely to the others in the elevator as one man inquired as to what floor she wanted. "Number 4 please," she said and he nodded and pressed the button, sending the elevator silently upwards. Shino couldn't help but fidget as the elevator stopped at the second and third floors to let the other visitors off before continuing upwards. Her impatience grew with every passing moment until finally the elevator arrived at the fourth floor. She hurried out and looked around for a sign that would direct her through the long hallways. Spying a sign bearing directions off to her right, she found the right hallway to go down and quickly made her way through the cool white corridors, turning twice more before the numbers slid into the range she was looking for.

When Shino saw the room ahead of her on the left she slowed down and stared at the name plaque on the side of the door. The young woman took a deep breath before opening the door and sticking her head in. Her eyes immediately went over to Masato who was mumbling and groaning as his arms and fingers twitched constantly. He wasn't awake, but he wasn't quite asleep either. His eyes were half open and glazed over as he stared into space. It took a second before Shino noticed the other woman standing there at the end of the large hospital bed, watching her through mirror-tinted sunglasses. She paused, unsure of what to do Shino wanted to go over and check on Masato, but her mind was demanding to know just who this woman was.

The stranger was a tall black woman with braids trailing down her back; she was wearing a pale orange blouse with a dark red pleated skirt and brown sandals. The woman looked more mature than her years, Shino could tell that they must be about the same age. The stranger's face broke into a smile and she slid her sunglasses up to the top of her head her warm brown-gold eyes examining her thoroughly. "Shino Nanao…was wondering when get here you would," she stated in a fairly thick African accent.

Shino stiffened at the mention of her name and her face tightened with suspicion, "It's nice to meet you, but I'm afraid you have the advantage of me," she said as politely as she could, keeping the distrust out of her voice as best she could. The woman nodded at that, "Rhodesia Kajongwe my name. New to CC Corp am I," the foreign woman informed with a tilt of her head in Masato's direction. Shino couldn't help but glance back over at her friend who was so obviously suffering. Pursing her lips she turned back to the supposed CC Corp employee, "Are you the one who sent that e-mail to me? The one telling me to come to this hospital?" she questioned her hands tightening slightly as she stared at the woman warily.

Rhodesia's smile broadened, "Worry not so much would you? Cleaning up mess left over I try to do…and help out innocents in process," she explained motioning towards the chair. "Go on, not here bite you for," she insisted and Shino hesitated for a moment before grabbing the back of the seat and rolling it over so she could sit closer to Masato who was currently the only patient in the room. Rhodesia stuck her head out of the door before closing it and taking a seat at the end of the hospital bed.

Flipping her hair back she continued, "Placed have I as overseer of G.U. So all about Epitaphs and Avatars know I already. Tell everything to you did Yata?" she questioned and Shino nodded, but didn't reply to that. Leaning back the other woman seemed satisfied by that, "After network reset, Ovan fall into Sea of Data and real self fall in coma," she stated nodding towards Masato who was still groaning, his lips moving slightly though no words came out.

Shino looked over at him but kept her hands clasped together in her lap, "I know all of that…but what changed? Just yesterday he was completely comatose and not moving at all. Yet today he's…." she paused and her expression softened with worry and she looked over at Rhodesia, not quite able to summon the right words. The African woman leaned forward as she continued her explanation, "New hacker in The World, trying capture Avatars is he. Then use them confine Aura and have control over network he would," she paused as her eyes slid back over to Shino. Her stomach turned as she picked up on the hint that Rhodesia was giving her.

Shino swallowed hard at that, "This hacker has captured Masato…Ovan's…Avatar, Corbenik hasn't he? And that's why his condition has changed isn't it?" she inquired softly turning back to her friend.

The CC Corp employee nodded, "Masato's consciousness trapped on network, when Epitaph separated from Ovan's PC body. His mind should kicked out of network completely from that, but network reset to him heavy damage it did. Not understand everything happen then, and maybe never will I don't. But not completely detached from network like should is he," Rhodesia explained and Shino frowned as she tried to make sense of the woman's strange way of speaking. Her Japanese was fine overall, but her accent and word arrangement made it hard to understand her without thinking for a moment first. Seeing the look on her face the African woman grinned, "Speak Japanese fine I do. Sentence structure my problem, but understand what I mean?" she asked and Shino nodded.

She looked back over at Masato and grimaced, "So when Corbenik was taken from him it should have freed his mind from the internet and woken him from his coma?" Shino questioned and when Rhodesia confirmed that she added, "But because of the damage he sustained from when the global network reset...his consciousness is still partially trapped online?" Shino inquired, fighting to keep her voice calm and under control. She started to say something else but then shook her head and stared down at her hands, which were clenched tighter then before, her knuckles white.

The silence stretched on until Shino finally summoned the words to speak up once again, "So why are you telling me this? Surely CC Corp could take care of this all on their own, especially with the way they tried to blame and vilify him in the news," she brought up as anger sparked within her at the memory. Of course she hadn't been and still wasn't the only one who was outraged by the accusations the company had laid on him. "They twisted the facts to make him seem like the enemy when he was really just the victim," Shino added, her eyes alight with righteous anger.

At that comment Rhodesia's friendly face dropped into a frown, "Much say about that I could. CC Corp leaders no saints for sure, but nothing else do could they. Not at fault for AIDA existence is and while certainly at fault, not can take all blame they should. But another matter for other time is that. What important now is CC Corp nothing more want then Masato Indou go away. I, however, would better for him prefer," she said the carefully but firmly and Shino knew enough to leave that matter alone for the moment. Seeing that she was listening Rhodesia continued, "Company has hands full with this hacker, falling behind despite all out efforts to stop him they are. Not excusing them for anything I'm not, but true that they having hands full at moment," she commented with professional calmness.

Shino couldn't help the slightly disgusted expression that came across her face, "So you're going to pay me to take him off your hands? Give me a nice big check and hope that I'll just go away so you can handle another problem that will no doubt cost _more_ lives?" Shino demanded keeping her voice level, despite her growing anger. She saw Rhodesia purse her lips and her hands twitched slightly at those words. The other woman was trying to be polite, but it was clear her patience was quickly wearing thin. Taking a deep breath the CC Corp employee responded to that with thinly veiled irritation as her eyes flashed with annoyance, "Think I doing CC Corp favor? Think I be lap dog sent for dirty work?" Rhodesia fired back heatedly, her expression twisting into one of disgust at that last part as she suddenly stood up.

The African woman waved her arm in Masato's direction, "Even stop to think what news would do if news networks hold of this get? Company Masato could send to Psychological Health Institute where he having 24 hour care with best doctors and nurses all over Japan from. Everything he need be taken care of. If condition change for better or worse have he will people just feet away who help him will," Rhodesia told her harshly as she crossed her arms.

Staring down at Shino sternly Rhodesia added, "Instead want I take him out of Saitama Hospital and thus from highly skilled physicians who give him best care possible would, and put Masato in hands of young woman who problems of her own has. Take a formerly comatose man and have him care of taken by young woman who be comatose victim herself once and who struggles also with Depression? Have any idea of how much trouble CC Corp be in that from?" Rhodesia spelled out for her and Shino flinched back at those words and looked away.

Rhodesia flipped a hand through her braids, "Not think of that did you?" she questioned and Shino felt her cheeks turning red with embarrassment from that thorough dressing down. Shino sat taller as she responded to those comments, "Okay, alright, fine. I get your point. So what you're basically saying is that it would be better for everyone involved if Masato was sent to a specialized facility to recover. He would have doctors and specialists waiting hand and foot on him, and if his condition declined in any way he would immediately be taken care of. CC Corp effectively gets the problem of their hands, while at the same time redeeming themselves in the public eye by sending him to a place where he'll get the best care possible. The money involved wouldn't even be an issue for them…just like my _privacy_ I might add," Shino put in, none to happy that this woman knew about her problems with Depression.

Ignoring that last comment Rhodesia added, "Believe me or not, I not concerned with. Like said I...cleaning up CC Corp mess and _trying_ do you both favor," she stated punctuating her statement with a nod, "Care at specialized facility not going bring him out of this it won't. Need he does someone who cares about him as…" she paused and raised an eyebrow as she looked back over at Shino knowingly, "…as _more_ than just patient in a bed. Need someone who wants best for him and understands been through what he has," she added and help up her hand before Shino could comment on that.

Pointing her finger at Rhodesia said, "Need be helped by someone who not _blame_ him for what he done…someone who only want him get better," she clarified and Shino thought carefully about that she turned back to Masato, watching him as she considered what the other woman was telling her. Finally Shino nodded in agreement as Rhodesia walked closer and stood next to her chair. "Still partially stuck in network is his mind. Slowly detach from internet he will, but will take longer if stay here in big city," Rhodesia commented and Shino frowned at that, "What do you mean? Why would he have a problem here?" she asked not understanding what the CC Corp employee was trying to say.

The African woman straightened and waved her arm toward the window, "Enough technology to wire up computer over to the moon there is; signals and frequency's all around. For Masato be it confusing and even excruciatingly painful. You see technology and computers, for him it exceptionally deafening. Even turning TV on for him like having foghorn go off in ears. More technology there be around him, more he will retreat back into himself and shy away from reality. Need be away from all this does he. Best take him away to smaller town or whatever countryside you find can, only then will he really recover start," Rhodesia explained as Shino leaned closer over the hospital bed. As she did so she accidentally bumped the TV remote lying on the counter and the screen flicked on.

Rhodesia grimaced even before Masato reacted. And react he did.

Immediately his eyes shot open and a violent spasm shuddered through his body as he shot up from his resting position. Closing his eyes tightly, his face twisted with pain as he screamed in agony, his hands clutching his head in obvious torment. Shino flinched back from the sound; never had she heard something so horrific. It tore at her soul as she watched him react in such a violent way. Dropping her bag to the floor Shino grabbed the remote and shut the TV off. Her hand missed the button a few times and she cursed to herself before finally hitting it and shutting the TV off.

When the machine clicked off Masato stopped screaming, but didn't move from his position, a small whimper escaping his lips as he hunched over even more, the overwhelming effect clearly lingering. Shino put her hand on his back, rubbing it slowly as she put her other hand on his arm, "Oh, Masato I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" she asked worriedly as his body trembled, but he when he didn't respond she looked up at Rhodesia helplessly.

The other woman shook her head slightly, "Still trapped in own world is he. Corbenik only just taken him from this early morning. Doubt I do he hear you or anything else at all. Only react will he when something electronic comes on or go by the door does," she said softly, but that didn't make Shino feel any better.

Frowning at that Shino kept her eyes on Masato as his body continued to tremble. She thought about what Rhodesia had said and finally she turned back to address the CC Corp employee, "You said he needs to be taken out of the city to...to a place with as little technology as possible?" Shino questioned softly and the other woman nodded in confirmation. Turning back to her friend Shino bit her lip as she considered the matter. She was out of school and since she had missed the deadline it would be months before she could apply once again anyway. She had naturally lost her job after being in a coma for over six months, so it wasn't as if she had anything holding her back...and Masato clearly needed her right _now_.

Shino frowned as she thought it over, _He doesn't have any time left…he needs help and he needs it as soon as possible. Being here will not only slow his progress but it will probably make him even worse, Rhodesia said that herself. Being indecisive and seesawing back and forth on the matter won't bring him out of this. Either I'm going to do this or I'm not. There's nothing and no one holding me back, there's nothing stopping me from doing this,_ Shino considered as she mentally reviewed her situation. She would prefer more time to plan for this but…she pulled herself from her ruminations and watched Masato as he gave a deep groan, his fingers gripping his hair as his fingers tightened on his head. Immediately she was filled with sympathy for him. He had done everything he could, the _only_ thing he could do to ensure that Haseo would one day be strong enough to stop him and destroy Tri-Edge once and for all.

Of course her parent's would _not _be thrilled when they learned that she was going to be leaving so soon, and she knew that Masato's relationship with his own parents wasn't very smooth either, especially recently. They had all but deserted him after he was accused by CC Corp of creating and spreading AIDA throughout the world. Of course they did have their hands full taking care of his little sister, but he was _still_ their son.

Shino turned back to Rhodesia and narrowed her eyes slightly, "I lost my apartment," she commented carefully and the other woman smirked, "Place to stay might take little searching, but money for it no setback. Apparently not check bank account lately did you," Rhodesia said with definite smugness. Shino shook her head at that, "You knew all along that I was going to agree didn't you?" she asked and got a genuine smile in response.

There was a heavy sigh as Masato finally relaxed and Shino turned to help him lay back down. When he was settled and resting as comfortably as could be expected, Shino stood up and faced Rhodesia once again with firm determination, "Okay I'll do it. But I'm going to need…" she began but was cut off before she could finish.

Idly twisting a braid around her finger Rhodesia said, "Waiting in driveway of parent's home right now is car. Know have license you do. Forget not also check from CC Corp; mention that earlier think I did. More then willing pay up any amount necessary were they if problem this just go away so deal they can with current problems," Rhodesia added slyly and Shino hummed at that, "I guess I'll just have to take that at face value. I'm sure a lot of money is already being handed out to the coma victim's as compensation for what they've gone through, so I'm certainly not the only one right?" she asked and when Rhodesia nodded she added, "Well then I suppose I should thank you. I don't quite understand why your doing this for him…and for me…but I do really do appreciate it. I must admit I will feel a whole lot better knowing he's close by," Shino added quietly as she turned back to Masato who was tossing and turning yet again.

Satisfied Rhodesia slid her sunglasses back down over her eyes as she reached past Shino to grab a pen and pad of paper that was sitting on the table next to the hospital bed. She scribbled down a phone number and tore off the top sheet before placing the items back on the table. "Cell phone number mine this is. If any questions than call me you should. The rest I sure you can come up with. Arrange matters with hospital I will so leave as soon as possible you will be able," she offered handing over the piece of paper. Shino thanked her and stared at it for a moment before putting it in her bag. Looking back up she asked, "I should leave as soon as possible shouldn't I? I mean if Masato stays here…he's not going to make much if any progress right? There's no telling when or if he'll ever recover from this completely…but," she stopped as her voice wavered and tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

Taking a deep breath she got control of herself and continued, "…but staying around all of this network activity and technology will slow down and maybe even halt whatever progress he is making…right?" Shino inquired and when Rhodesia nodded at that she clasped her hands together to avoid fidgeting. Shino eye's set with determination as she made her final decision. Masato need help…_her_ help and besides Haseo was busy with his own problems. She was one of only a select few who knew the whole story…the true story…and she was certainly the only person who appreciated the full impact of what he had done and more importantly _why_ he had done it; something that Haseo was still struggling to understand.

Seeing her firm conviction Rhodesia decided to take her leave, "Know have lot to think about do you so leave now will I. Prefer give you more time but matters as you see is urgent. Thank you I do for cooperation and willing spirit, or at very least not attacking me hmm?" she commented and Shino's lips twitched up into a slight smile at that. Perhaps this woman wasn't so bad after all. A thought occurred to her as and she spoke up before the CC Corp employee could exit.

Leaning forward Shino quickly stopped the woman, "Wait! Where exactly am I supposed to go?" she questioned and Rhodesia looked over her shoulder and shrugged, "Have place set up for you north of here in town of Kori. Known also as Koori Machi and it up in Date District of Fukushima, nearly due north of here it be. Set up places CC Corp has all over Japan, mostly for personal use. Moderate town of around 15,000 people it be and region known for scenic beauty, perfect place Masato to recover yes? Was built personally for and by CC Corp executive but…" Rhodesia paused as a wicked grin lit her lips, "In light of recent events, taken if for this purpose I have," she added with a clearly smug look as she flipped her braids back over her shoulder.

Shino raised an eyebrow at those words, "You can do that? I mean to have a personal residence like that they must be pretty high up…" she hinted trying to get a feel for how high a position Rhodesia had herself. The foreign woman snorted at that, "Fortunate I not fire him from company completely he is," she said indignantly as she put her hands on her hips, angry at the thought. "Mess up again and leave him explain self before Network Administration Bureau will I," Rhodesia noted caustically and Shino made a mental note of that and filed it away for later reference.

Moving on Rhodesia waved her hand dismissively to brush off that last matter, "E-mail map and address later to you I will just in case. So stop there at place we have for you and…" she broke off and Shino picked up where she had left off, "Pray for the best?" she offered and Rhodesia gave here a reassuring smile, "Have hope. Get better Masato will," she said confidently before nodding in farewell and heading out.

Shino watched the door close and stared for a while at the spot where Rhodesia had just been standing before turning back to Masato. She hesitated for a moment before slowly reaching over and placing her hand over his. As much as she wanted to hope, she knew that Masato in all likelihood was completely unaware of her presence. Even Rhodesia had said that so far he would only show any kind of response when something electronic was in his vicinity and she had of course seen proof of that herself.

Slowly she squeezed his hand, "Don't worry Masato…I promise I'll do whatever it takes to bring you back," Shino whispered softly and with all her heart. During the whole AIDA incident she had been a victim, unable to do anything but watch Ovan's suffering and Haseo's violent anger and determination to do anything and everything to save her. Now though things would be different, Shino had a chance to help and she wasn't going to sit back and let this opportunity pass her by. Her friend was in trouble. Masato needed someone who would hold him up.

Shino frowned as she thought about that, _He's always been the leader, he led the Twilight Brigade and when he disappeared everyone and everything started to fall apart, but now…now he needs someone to support HIM, someone who is going to stay by his side and just try to understand him without judging or blaming him for what he's done, _she considered as she looked over at the clock on the wall. She only had about 15 minutes left before she had to leave again. From here she would go straight home and prepare, Rhodesia said it would be best to leave as soon as possible so Shino knew that she would have to be ready in the morning.

Where she would end up was a different story, but Shino wasn't afraid. She may be back with her parents at the moment but she had been living in an apartment by herself for a while so it wouldn't be anything new to find another place to stay. She was an adult now and had gotten used to depending on herself. Taking care of Masato certainly wouldn't be easy but she would just have to do her best. Standing up Shino picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, "I'll be back Masato, and when I am I'll get you out of here…I promise," she whispered before turning and opening the door. She glanced back over her shoulder once before taking a deep breath and leaving the room.

* * *

"Your what?" Shino's mother demanded in shock, staring at her daughter as if she had lost her mind. Shino pursed her lips but didn't respond and instead continued packing the personal items she needed. She didn't know how long she would be gone so she had made sure to pack a wide variety of clothes and limited personal items to things she had to have: toothpaste, toothbrush, a couple things for her hair, deodorant, and so forth. The car Rhodesia had supplied for her use was a nice sized family car and could handle her bags and several more with ease.

Zipping up the bag Shino straightened up and nodded to herself, _This will have to do, if I need anything else then I can always buy it later. Rhodesia has certainly made sure of that,_ she considered as she took out her cell phone and pressed a few buttons to access her bank account; she had first thought of checking it when she was on the local rail line heading back home and had nearly keeled over with shock when she saw just much her account had leapt up. Never had she seen so many numbers in one place before. Shino couldn't help but smile as she thought of it, _Spend it carefully and I could live comfortably for years without ever having a job, _she turned around and finally faced her mother who was understandably upset.

Keeping her voice as calm as possible Shino tried to calm her mother down, "Look mother I know this is sudden…" she began but the woman held up her hand, her eyes flashing with maternal anger, "Sudden? You meet some stranger from that company of criminals CC Corp who tells you to take your friend and leave for some city you've never heard of as soon you can am I right? Do you even know where this place is?" she demanded and Shino grimaced as she lifted the bag and set it off to the side next to her nightstand so she wouldn't forget it in the morning.

After leaving the hospital she had wandered around Saitama for several hours, thinking about what Rhodesia had told her and everything else that it would entail once she actually managed to get Masato to Kori, Fukushima. She knew that this wasn't going to be easy, but the full impact of what she was getting herself into was just starting to sink in.

Taking a deep breath Shion said, "I know it sounds crazy and foolhardy, but what happened in The World…what happened with Masato…" she began but was immediately cut off, "Don't…" her mother interrupted bitterly, "Don't you dare mention that man's name in this house," she stated sourly and Shino sighed and shook her head slowly. Her parents had known Masato for a while; he had been a close family friend…until the incident with AIDA that is. CC Corp may have repealed their statement blaming Masato Indou for the AIDA incident, but her parents had been on the frontlines, forced to wait and wonder if their only child would ever recover from her mysterious illness. Shino didn't blame her mother and father for being upset with him and she didn't challenge their view either, they had every right to feel that way.

With a slightly frustrated sigh Shino continued more tactfully, "What happened in The World is complicated...CC Corp sent someone to talk to me in person, someone who _clearly_ wielded a lot of power. I mean the money I already expected as compensation, the company already promised me that, but…" she paused as she thought about what had happened mere hours earlier. "But she arranged all of this for me and is even giving me a car, basically for free," she explained as her mother shook her head in dismay. Shino continued before her mother could raise any more objections, "And besides...I would never be able to live with myself if I just abandoned him so that some institute could take him in and lock him up in a padded room somewhere. I'm probably one of the only real friends he has left, and certainly the only one who is in a position to help him," she added firmly and her mother sighed and rubbed her temple.

She eyed her daughter with subdued resignation, "Your going to do this with or without my approval aren't you?" she questioned and Shino nodded in agreement, "He's not on very good terms with his family, and even if he was they have their hands full taking care of his little sister. There's no way they would be able to take on that kind of financial burden…their just barely keeping their heads above water as it is," the young woman insisted, trying to get her mother to see her reasoning. It was true that she was going to leave either way, but she would prefer that it be on good terms.

Shino stood taller and tried to come off as confident and self-assured as possible; showing how worried she was would just worry her parents even more, "He needs my help and I'm _not_ going to abandon him. If this will help him then I'm more than willing to do it. I have no reason not to," she added and her mother pursed her lips at that, knowing that it was true. Finally the woman gave a heavy sigh, "Just…" she hesitated and pulled her daughter into a tight hug, "Just promise that you'll be careful okay? We've already been through so much and…" she pulled back and held Shino's face in her hands, "I just don't want anything to happen to you…your father and I can't bear to go through that again," she said tearfully.

Smiling reassuringly Shino tired to comfort her mother as best she could, "I'm not even leaving yet mom! And I _promise_ I'll call you the minute I get to Kori, Fukushima okay? It will only take a couple of hours…" she promised holding her hand over her heart as well. Her mother scowled at that action and put her hands on her hips, "You're darn right you'll call your mother when you get there! And every day after that if you know what's good for you!" she retorted sternly, her eyes flashing with warning and Shino smiled inwardly at that. If her mother could chastise her like that then it meant that she was feeling better. It was when she wasn't mumbling about something or other that it was time to worry.

Shino brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she smiled genuinely, "The minute I get there and twice a day after that," she promised her mother who nodded in satisfaction before giving another sigh, "Okay then, make sure you get plenty of sleep tonight, they say all those GPS devices went haywire because of AIDA, but I still don't trust them so you had better drive yourself…and watch out for all those crazy drivers on the road while your at it," she fretted as Shino resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her mother's concern.

Instead she merely nodded as her mother continued, "And make sure you eat properly…_both_ of you. I don't exactly like this arrangement, but if your going to go through with this than you need to keep yourself as healthy as possible and that includes good eating habits for Masato as well," her mother added and Shino cleared her throat and cut her eyes over towards the clock, giving her mother a subtle "I get the point, can I go to bed now?" look.

Her mother noticed and shook her finger in warning, "You had just better hope this all goes smoothly or I'm bringing you right back here and telling CC Corp they can just find somebody else to do all of this," she stated with a 'mother knows best' warning glare as she walked over and paused in the doorway making sure her daughter got the point.

"Don't worry mother! Everything will be just fine, I can handle this!" Shino insisted with slight exasperation feeling more worn out than ever. When her mother finally left she heaved a sigh and collapsed back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she thought about what was to come tomorrow. Closing her eyes she finally allowed herself to relax, _Stop worrying yourself, _she chided, knowing that worrying too far ahead wouldn't do her any good, _I'll just have to take things as they come, there's just no telling what will happen when and if Masato ever recovers, _Shino considered as she sat up and prepared for bed.

* * *

Shino gnawed on her bottom lip as she stood next to the moderately sized family car that CC Corp had provided for her. She fidgeted uneasily as she watched them wheel Masato out of the hospital in a wheelchair and down the incline towards her. Looking up at the night sky she silently apologized to her parents who had still been sleeping when she had gotten up to leave. After spending a couple hours in thought Shino had called Rhodesia and arranged to pick up Masato early that next morning, 2:30 in the morning to be exact. The traffic in Saitama, while omnipresent at all hours of the day, would at least be lessened this early in the day and should grow more sparse as she left the greater Tokyo area behind.

Yawning slightly Shino rubbed her eyes as she took a sip of the coffee she had stopped long enough to pick up, she would need all the extra caffeine she could get, _I know I should have done more than just leave my parents a note…but there is **no way** my mother would have allowed me to leave this early in the morning had she known about it. I know she wanted to see me off but…_ she stood taller and leaned in the car to put her drink in the cup holder before hurrying over to the other side of the vehicle, opening the door as the orderly wheeled Masato up to the car.

_But this is best for everyone. In theory it should at least a little easier on Masato now that at least some of the shops and businesses in Saitama are shut down, _Shino considered, hoping her speculation turned out to have at least a small glimmer of truth to it. She had carefully avoided specifying a certain time when her parents had asked about when she would be leaving, instead she had sidestepped the issue and changed the subject to avoid any possible conflict. They had still been sleeping peacefully when she had loaded up the car and backed out of the driveway.

Sucking in a deep breath Shino pushed that thought aside; she could worry about it later when her mother called to chew her out, as she would surely do when she woke up. For now she concentrated on Masato, whose eyes were now open, but his gaze was blank and expressionless as he stared off into space. His face was flat and registered no emotion as the orderly and the man with him helped lift Masato and set him in the car. As they did so his arms moved slightly, grabbing at the side of the chair to steady himself, but his responses seemed automatic rather than a result of conscious thought.

When he was settled in Shino thanked them and they nodded to her before heading back into the hospital through the emergency room doors, which were the only ones open at this time of morning. Leaning over Shino pulled the seatbelt across Masato and clicked it in before closing the door. A sudden gust of wind kicked up and she shivered slightly as she looked around at the well-lit but empty parking lot. The realization that she was now basically alone in this was unsettling. Shaking her head Shino quickly walked around to the driver's side of the car and slid in, closing the door behind her; the automatic locks clicking in place as she did so.

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel as she fought away her unease, _I'm just being paranoid, my parents might be angry but they will still be more than ready to help should anything happen. I also have Rhodesia's phone number and she's promised to send somebody out if I have any trouble taking care of Masato…there's nothing to worry about, _she tried to reassure herself, still unable to completely banish her suspicions. If this hacker was going after the Epitaph Users and their Avatars…then what was stopping them from coming after her and getting rid of Masato for good in order to keep him separated from Corbenik?

Shino turned to look at Masato who was clearly unaware of her presence. He was staring down at his feet, with the same blank expression as before. Sighing at that Shino swallowed hard and put the car in gear, pulling out from under the entryway and refocusing her attention on the road and the traveling that was ahead of her. Haseo and Atoli were both fighting against this hacker despite the risk to their own lives; she could certainly do this on her own. Nodding to emphasize the thought Shino took another sip of her coffee as she stopped at a stop sign and looked both ways before pulling out onto the street.

_Masato is still trapped online…that's what Rhodesia said…and its going to take a lot time and care for his mind to fully detach from the network. Until then its up to me to make sure he has all the care and attention he needs. He may not know I'm here and he may not even be aware of what's going on around him…but that is n**o** reason to just give up on him, _Shino considered as she rolled up and stopped at a traffic light.

Leaning over slightly she punched in the address Rhodesia had given her and the navigation system took a second to calculate before highlighting the route for her to take and asking if she wanted the 'auto drive' feature to take over for her. Shino almost hit yes until remembering the warning her mother had given her. Quickly she hit 'no' and the computer voice told her to make a right in 4 miles. Settling back in her seat Shino stepped on the accelerator as she glanced over at Masato again. It felt strange to be sitting here with him like this; it was making her a little uneasy already and she still had several hours of driving ahead of her.

Growling slightly she turned on the radio, switching to her favorite radio station and turning the sound down a little so as to have some background noise. Her nerves were already on edge and she was stressed out from checking, several times, to make sure that she had all of her medications and the actual prescriptions as well, both on paper and saved to her phone so that she would be able to get them refilled right away should they run out.

Finally unable to stand it any longer she blurted out, "We're going to Kori, Fukushima. I've seen some pictures of the scenery before and the mountains and forests are stunning. That area is famous for growing peaches as well," she commented, feeling as if she should tell him where they were going. Whether her words really registered with Masato or not was highly doubtful, but it still just seemed wrong to pick him up from the hospital and cart him off without telling him what was going on. Shino knew that speaking up would be mostly for her own benefit, but still it would help banish the small sliver of guilt that was insistently pricking her conscience at the moment.

Looking up to the rearview mirror Shino switched to the right lane, "A woman from CC Corp arranged a place for us to stay. It used to belong to one of the executives there but she apparently…relieved him of it so we could use it instead. Being away from the greater Tokyo area should help you recover," Shino added, of course Masato did not respond to this, but saying something made _her_ feel better and doing so finally allowed her to relax a little. It would take a couple hours to get there and she should arrive at about midmorning, giving her plenty of time to get them both settled in.

_Everything will be okay, I just need to stay calm and let Haseo and his friends deal with the hacker he told me about. Masato needs my full attention right now. I have to trust that Rhodesia is really as honest as she seems and that Haseo will be able to handle things on his end inside of The World,_ she considered knowing that she couldn't tell her friend about this situation. He _needed_ to focus all of his attention on strengthening Skeith and taking down whoever was trying to corrupt The World and capture the Avatars. Corbenik had already been taken; if there were many more casualties anywhere near the level of Masato's. then the players of The World and the users of the rest of the network would be completely exposed with no line of defense stopping him from taking what he wanted.

* * *

Shino whistled softly to herself as she stood next to the car staring up at the house in front of her. It was an amazing traditional Japanese home set in the forest a few minutes outside of Kori. It was a sprawling mostly one-level complex with a courtyard that surrounded a beautiful garden and pond that had several koi swimming around in it. In back was a larger garden with a trail that wound deeper into the forest. Shino could see why one of CC Corp's top execs had wanted this place all for themselves. Shaking her head slightly Shino turned around and opened the passenger side door, "Well here we are Masato. I have to say this place may only be a few miles outside of town but it sure seems a lot more secluded than that. This should be the perfect place for you to recover," she commented as she loosened his seat belt and moved it out of the way.

She had noticed a subtle change in him the farther they had gotten from Saitama, Gunma, Chiba, and the other prefectures surrounding Tokyo. It wasn't drastic and he still didn't respond to her comments or show in any other way that he heard her, but at the same time he seemed more…aware. Shino scowled to herself at that description and rubbed her face, _Either Masato really is a little more aware of himself and his surroundings…or all that caffeine from the coffees I had this morning is finally wearing off, _she considered cynically as she grabbed his arm lightly.

"Masato?" she asked softly and slowly his head lifted and he blinked slowly. It took at least a minute until Masato finally turned and stared at her and then down at where her hand was resting on his arm. "Come on, let's go inside," Shino told him and he let out a breath that was not quite a sigh as he turned and stared down at his legs. Hesitating for a moment Shino stood there indecisively for several seconds before leaning down and grabbing his legs, pulling his right leg up slightly before moving it over and out onto the ground. Leaning back in the vehicle she did the same with the other leg.

Straightening up she slid her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Are you ready to go?" Shino inquired as pulled on his arm to try and get him moving on his own. Masato's eyes narrowed every so slightly and Shino waited patiently for what must have been at least 10 minutes, knowing she couldn't rush him. Finally he leaned forward slightly and Shino dropped his hands and shifted closer to her as she helped him stand up next to the car. Masato swayed slightly but stayed upright as she slid her arm around his waist and put his arm around her shoulders so that he could lean on her for support.

"Come on lets get you inside so you can lie down, I know you must be tired," Shino commented as they walked slowly but steadily towards the house. When they got to the front door she put her thumb on the fingerprint lock and it flashed green and gave a small click as the door swung open into a richly decorated entryway. She paused for a moment, before stepping in and using her foot to nudge the door shut. After hearing it shut she headed deeper into the home, heading down a hallway to the right to where she thought the bedrooms would be. She walked down the corridor and to the east wing of the house. The hall twisted to the left and she saw a couple doors before the hall turned left again back towards the main house. She was about to open the door closest to her when Masato staggered suddenly and nearly tripped.

Quickly Shino tightened her grip on him, "Whoa there! Are you okay?" she asked tilting her head slightly to look up at him. _He's fading pretty fast, _she realized, taking in his dull but exhausted expression. Frowning she opened the door on her right and sighed in relief when she saw that it was indeed a large bedroom with polished wooden furnishings and two windows on either side of the bed. Nodding in approval Shino guided him over and helped sit Masato down on the soft and slightly springy mattress, "Well, here we are Masato. This looks like it will be perfect for now," she commented with great satisfaction. The young man let out a heavy sigh; his body loosening as his eyes slowly slid shut.

Carefully Shino pushed him down the mattress, making sure his head was resting on the pillow and she heard Masato groan slightly as he unconsciously relaxed. Bending over she shifted his legs up onto the bed and his eyelids twitched slightly before he sighed, already half asleep. Smiling softly at that she moved untied his shoes and pulled them off, setting them one the floor at the end of the bed. Silently she slipped out of the room, glancing back over her shoulder at him one more time before shutting the door.

Now that Masato was settled and resting Shino felt just a little more relaxed and she headed back out to the car, only to find a woman already digging around in the trunk and taking out her suitcase and other bags. Stopping dead in her tracks Shino could only stare at the woman for a moment before the lady realized she was standing there. Straightening up the stranger eyed Shino critically for a moment before nodding slightly, as if the young woman had passed some personal test of hers.

"Umm…hello there, my name is…" Shino began, figuring that this lady must belong here, but she was quickly cut off, "Shino Nanao and your friend is called Masato Indou. My name is Nareo I am the housekeeper here," the slight woman informed briskly as she hefted the suitcase out of the trunk and set it on the ground before pulling a large duffle bag out as well and slinging it over her shoulder. "This whole matter _was_ rather sudden so while Rhodesia ordered some clothing for Masato it will most likely not be here for a couple days so he will have to make due with the previous resident's attire. He did not want it and left it for me to discard, but I thought it prudent to keep around for emergencies," Nareo continued promptly, not allowing Shino to get a word in edgewise as she walked up and brushed past the young woman without so much as a "hello how are you?"

After hesitating for a moment Shino hurried after the housekeeper who was taking her bags down the hallway towards the bedrooms, "I suspect you'll be here for a while so I will bring in your things and put them away for you," Nareo commented not slowing her pace in the slightest. Shino spoke up at that, "Oh, well I…" she began but was forced to stop as the housekeeper stopped right in front of her. With a startled gasp she just managed to avoid slamming straight into Nareo as the older woman whipped around, staring at her through suspicious eyes. Despite being shorter than Shino the woman had an unmistakable aura of authority about her that made people stand up and take notice.

The housekeeper's look was almost accusing and Shino fumbled around to try and clarify her statement, "Well it's just that I wanted to be with Masato," she added and when Nareo raised an eyebrow at that Shino flushed candy apple red as she realized how that must have sounded and she scrambled to redeem herself, "W-what I m-meant was I wanted to be close to him," she tried but that didn't make it sound any better. Nareo's eyes narrowed at her as Shino took a deep breath to try and calm herself.

Clearing her throat she spoke slowly, keeping her face as still and serious as possible so as not to make the wrong impression, "What I meant…was that I would prefer to be in a room close to Masato so that if he has trouble or needs something during the night I will be able to help him right away. He is still recovering and needs careful attention," Shino finally managed to get out what she really meant without stammering around and making herself look like an idiot. Nareo's lips twisted into an expression of clear doubt, but she nodded wordlessly before setting off once again at the same brisk pace as before.

Shino found herself struggling to keep up despite the fact that she wasn't carrying any bags. Nareo whipped around the corner and opened the door leading into the bedroom across the hallway and just down from where Masato was resting. The housekeeper entered the room and set the duffle bag on the end of the bed before putting her suitcase over next to the dresser. Just as quickly she turned around and Shino was forced to take a step back once again as Nareo stared up at her with a gaze so fierce it could almost be called a scowl. "I will retrieve your other bag from the car and put your things away properly for you. I suggest you acquaint yourself with the layout of the manor and the outlying grounds," she insistent more than suggested and the young woman fairly jumped out of the way as Nareo stalked out of the room, her footsteps quickly fading.

With a sigh of relief Shino shook her head and quickly retrieved her medicine from the side pocket of the duffle bag, setting the bag of bottles next to the nightstand where they would be easy to reach. Hopefully Nareo would leave them there. Shaking her head at that Shino looked over her shoulder at where the forceful housekeeper had been standing few seconds ago. The young woman didn't quite know what she had been expecting, but Nareo certainly wasn't it. _Well at least I won't have to figure this whole matter out on my own. Having her deal with…this place…will give me free time to watch over Masato, _she considered approvingly as she looked around the red and gold room. It was clearly meant for a more _feminine_ occupant. For now though she decided to take up Nareo's suggestion. Wandering around a bit wouldn't hurt, and she needed to call her mom anyway.

Taking a deep breath she took out her cell phone and headed outside, after getting a little lost that is. She wandered around for a bit before finding Nareo again and asking her which way the exit was. The housekeeper frowned at that but directed her outside. As she stepped out Shino could see that the car trunk was shut, so evidently Nareo had brought the other bags inside. Looking down at the phone in her hand Shino took a deep breath and turned it on. When it finished powering up she blanched as a screen popped up saying that she had 5 missed calls…all from her mother naturally. With a sigh she decided to get it all over with.

Most of the call was spent with Shino receiving an earful for leaving unannounced and keeping her cell phone off after that. The young woman tried to explain that she had kept if off so as not to disturb Masato, but she couldn't get a word in edgewise and instead ended up apologizing profusely for making her mother worry so much before promising to call her before she went to bed. Ending the call Shino slid the phone into a pocket in her skirt and turned around to stare at the manor that was now her place of residence. She still couldn't believe how big it was.

_Well, might as well search around the place. There's no knowing how long Masato and I will be staying here, _Shino considered checking the time quickly before nodding. She was about to head around the side of the house when she heard a scuffling sound and froze; looking around she saw nothing until she thought to lower her gaze closer to the ground. _There you are, _Shino realized as she saw two massive Rottweiler's with thick spiked collars standing there staring at her. They were clearly guard dogs and probably had free reign of the grounds.

Shino froze, unsure of whether they would attack or not when she heard a grunt from behind her, "Those two are Raiden and Mera. They're brother and sister and they guard the property from intruders," Nareo informed casually, not bothering to apologize for the heart attack she had nearly given Shino. The housekeeper whistled and the two dogs trotted over, sniffing the young woman curiously. Nareo gave a sharp command and the Rottweiler's immediately snapped to attention, their eyes focused on the housekeeper. Satisfied the short, but solid woman jerked a thumb towards Shino, "Friend. Protect her," Nareo ordered firmly before whipping around and stalking off back inside the house, nearly slamming the door in the process.

_Well, aren't we cheerful this morning? _Shino considered sarcastically as she looked down at Mera who wagged her short stump of a tail in happy greeting. "Guess I passed the test and you're my keeper now hunh?" she questioned leaning over and giving the dog a scratch behind the ears before straightening up. Raiden sniffed dismissively and turned to continue his patrol of the yard while Mera trotted along side as Shino continued her original plan of exploring the grounds; as she did so she realized that the rich really _were_ different from everyone else.

_What does one person DO with this much space?_ Shino wondered as she glanced down at her watch. Now that she was actually here she didn't have the slightest idea of what to do. She highly doubted that Nareo would want her underfoot for any reason and Masato was still resting. With a sigh she looked over at Mera who was still clearly alert as she wove back and forth across the walkway that led around the back of the manor. _At least I won't have to worry about somebody jumping me, _she considered as she tried to relax.

* * *

Night had fallen and Shino had finally managed to escape Nareo's inflexible glare, the housekeeper had made dinner and not allowed the young woman to leave until she ate at least half of it. Shino, on the other hand, had never really eaten a lot and lately had been eating even less. When she wasn't feeling well, which was most of the time, she just didn't get hungry and having Nareo's face scowling at her from the other side of the table had lessened her appetite even more. After the first bite or two she had been ready to quit but had been forced to choke it down lest Nareo do so for her.

With a small groan Shino decided to take a shower and head off to bed. She was halfway down the hallway when she realized something, her eyes nearly popping out of her head at the thought. Whipping around she hurried back to the kitchen where Nareo was cleaning up. The housekeeper gave her a "what is it _now_?" look and Shino blushed slightly at what she was about to say. Clearing her throat she said, "It um…well I mean Masato…" she stopped and Nareo's dark looked deepened with impatience.

Hurrying up Shino continued with, "Well he…uh…needs someone to help give him a bath. He's in no condition to do so for himself," she explained as the housekeeper grunted and turned back around in an obvious gesture of dismissal. "That is _your_ job girl _not_ mine. I take care of the house and you take care of your friend. Watching out for an invalid is _not_ in my job description," Nareo informed unsympathetically as she bent back to the task of cleaning the dishes. Shino frowned slightly but held her tongue as she looked back over her shoulder down the hallway that led to the east 'wing' of the house.

There was a loud frustrated sigh and Shino was shaken from her thoughts as she looked back over at Nareo who was shaking her head at her. Hands on her hips the housekeeper glared fiercely at her, "Oh, for crying out loud! Stop being so gosh darn squeamish and get to it! No one ever told you this would be easy did they?" she demanded and waved a spatula at the young woman when she opened her mouth to object. "Someone has to take care of it and whether you like this part of the job or not is irrelevant. YOU signed up for this and YOU have to deal with what comes along," Nareo concluded with a decisive nod as she stared at Shino critically. "Nurses and aids in hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities have to do the same thing and worse. Just be grateful he's a healthy young man and not a wrinkled old senior you have to stare at," she added, her lips twitching up slightly on that note.

Shino's face burned red at that last remark, "I would never...that's not…NAREO!" she blurted in shock, her expression one of horror. The housekeeper gave a sharp laugh at that as she grinned from ear to ear. Putting down the spatula in her hand she took off her apron and folded it before lying in on the counter. Walking over she stopped and stared up at the young woman, "Oh, settle down. Can't you take a joke?" she questioned with a shake of her head, "I'll give you a hand, but don't expect this to be a permanent arrangement," the housekeeper warned, shaking a finger at Shino who nodded quickly; keeping her expressions of relief to a minimum as she followed Nareo back down the hallway.

* * *

Together Shino and Nareo managed to get Masato out of bed and give him a shower. Shino for her part, as mortified as she was during the ordeal, managed by some miracle of heaven not to die of embarrassment in the process. The fact that Masato was still pretty much out of it did help…somewhat. Nareo had stuck around long enough to help Shino get him clothed again in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for bed before vanishing off to another part of the massive house, mumbling something about not getting her 'real work' done. Now Masato was sitting on the edge of the tub as Shino finished up with him on her own. Doing this for him was unquestionably awkward and embarrassing, but Nareo did have a point when she made that comment earlier.

_I did sign up for this, so its my responsibility to take care of him, _Shino chastised herself firmly as she took a deep breath and lifted his chin with her left hand, in her right she held a disposable razor. Carefully she shaved off the beard that had started to grow on his chin and cheeks. Apparently they hadn't been doing much for him in the hospital. Washing off the razor she started on the other side, _Still it hurts to see him like this. He used to be the man who held all of us together and now he can barely stand up without someone helping him, _Shino thought sadly as she finished up and tossed the razor away before cleaning off his face with a towel. Taking a step back she examined her handiwork to make sure she hadn't cut him or anything.

Gently she rested her hand on his face as she watched him. Masato's eyes were open but he wasn't really looking at anything. He was just staring off into space, his hand and fingers twitching occasionally. Every once in a while he would wince and groan slightly in response to some unseen tormentor. He had looked at her once or twice, but there was no real way of knowing if he was actually aware of her presence. Were his thoughts still tormented by memories of AIDA? Did he hear her somewhere in his broken mind? Did he realize where he was? Or did was Masato still only aware of the network and its influence around him?

Masato grimaced and closed his eyes, his breathing harsher as his shoulder tensed. Her eyes softening in sympathy Shino let her hands rest at the base of his neck as she massaged his shoulders to help relax him. "It doesn't matter how long it takes…I promise I'll do whatever I can to help you bring you back," Shino whispered as tears began to well up in her eyes. It just wasn't _fair_. Masato…Ovan had been infected by Tri-Edge against his will. It had been an accident when he PKed her. He hadn't 'spread' AIDA throughout The World at all, they data anomaly had already been there. Ovan did everything he could to ensure that Tri-Edge would be destroyed for good, and now he was suffering alone and in silence while the rest of the world blamed him for their troubles.

Shino was tired of trying to explain his actions to others. She was sick of the constant comments and backlash that she had seen posted all over the network. _They don't have to understand what he's done. Let the world hate him if they want. I know that Masato isn't a bad person and that's good enough. And when he finally does come out of this…I'll stick by him, _Shino vowed confidently as Masato sighed, his body loosening in response to her attention as she continued massaging his shoulders.

_I'm sorry Haseo…but I can't tell you I've found Masato just yet. You already have enough on your mind as it is…I don't want to weigh you down even more, _Shino considered still feeling guilty about picking up and leaving without telling him about this. But for now it was best just to keep him out of this.

* * *

Days bled into weeks, which bled into another month of caring for Masato. Shino sighed as she sat in the garden beside the fishpond with the guard dogs Mera and Raiden who had finally warmed up to her. Smiling slightly she scratched behind Mera's ears and the Rottweiler rested her head on Shino's lap, closing her eyes happily. With a sigh Shino looked up at the full moon. Night had fallen and yet again she found herself unable to sleep. Her thoughts and mind were a whirlwind, the optimism she had forced on herself when this all began was now almost completely gone. Bled dry by the constant emotional drain of caring for her ailing friend. Her Depression symptoms had started to get worse for a while before Nareo had given her morale a much needed slap, so to speak, and boosted Shino's morale.

Shino had forced herself to be strong if only for Masato's sake. At the time she knew that couldn't allow herself to continue this slide back into dejection and discontent. And truthfully she had been scared, scared of what was going to happen. Would Masato ever recover? Would he ever be the same person she had known before? Would he ever be able to lead even a partially normal life again? And if he couldn't was she prepared to continue taking care of him?

Those were serious questions and it had taken a lot of soul searching before she had finally been confident enough to answer yes to that final question. During his time in The World he had always been…detached somehow. As if he didn't want to get to close to people, even with her, his closest friend, Masato had kept his feelings and emotions carefully guarded. But now he needed her and she wasn't going to allow her personal problems to keep her from giving him the help he needed.

Of course helping her out was that fact that Masato's condition _had_ improved, but still only slightly. He would turn to face her when she spoke, but still responded more to her actions than to her words. He didn't quite have the dexterity needed to handle chopsticks so Shino had managed to rummage around the house and found some silverware that he could use instead. It took time and a lot of patience but at least he could feed himself now. Still he was rather uncoordinated and out of it so Shino still helped give him a shower every night, all the while wondering if she would ever get over her embarrassment and discomfort.

_And he **still** hasn't said a word since I first found him in the Saitama Hospital, _she considered miserably as she stood up. It had become clear that Masato was aware of her presence, but how much he actually understood and comprehended was a mystery still. She made sure to speak to him about what was going on and tell him about anything she had heard in the news. She even kept him updated on how Haseo was doing in The Word.

_But sometimes…I wonder why I bother at all, _she considered knowing Masato had yet to respond verbally to any of her overtures. Shaking those thoughts from her head Shino walked back inside, pausing to let Mera and Raiden inside as well. Nareo refused to have the dogs inside during the day, but would allow them to come in and patrol the house at night. Or at least Raiden did, Mera usually slept at the end of Shino's bed. Looking down she patted the dog affectionately once again; truthfully she had been afraid of them at first, but they really weren't as nasty as everyone made the breed out to be.

Shino went around to the kitchen and Raiden circled a few times before laying down with a grunt to go to sleep. Going over to the fridge she reached in and pulled out a peach to eat as a late night snack. She broke off couple pieces and tossed them to the dogs as she leaned against the counter, thinking about Masato. Every time she saw and watched him she couldn't help but think of all the time they had spent together in The World. _Searching for the Key of The Twilight…something that technically doesn't exist within the game. I mean… it's not a literal item you can possess. I think we all knew that deep inside but…as long as we were together and enjoying The World our way it didn't matter, we were all happy just searching the back corners of the game and discovering new things and information, _Shino thought with a smile as she reflected back on those times. Ovan always had such a strong confidence about him, an aura that said he knew exactly what was going on and was in full control.

Finishing her snack she tossed the pit away into the garbage and wandered outside and down the trail leading into the forest with Mera trotting along beside her on full alert. There was a chill in the air and Shino rubbed her arms as she walked, looking for the spot where you could look down and see the town of Kori below. As she drew closer Mera gave off a low rumble in her throat that was not quite a growl. Frowning Shino put her hand on the dog's neck as she squinted slightly to try and see who it was. Hackles raising at the young woman's touch the Rottweiler nonetheless waited for orders. The wind shifted abruptly, blowing back towards them and Mera sniffed the air before lifting her hand and barking in greeting. When the stranger noticed the sound and turned around to stare at them, Shino could see that it was Masato standing there looking down the mountainside. She felt a quick flair of worry at the fact that he had come out here alone. He was still unsteady on his feet and his legs were prone to giving out at times.

_Still, he seems to be okay, _Shino considered, relaxing as she walked up beside him, "Masato? What are you doing out here?" Shino questioned as his eyes tracked her movement; he still wore that same partially blank expression as always. Smiling warmly she looked up at him, "This is a beautiful night isn't it? When I can't sleep I like to come out here to this spot. Its relaxing and helps me think," she explained as she turned to stare down at the town all the streets were well lit, but some other parts of the city were almost completely dark.

"I…miss her…"

Startled Shino stared at Masato in shock, but he was still staring down at the ground wearing a look of intense concentration as he spoke. Lifting his head Masato stared at her as he added, "Aina…my…little sister," his look of concentration deepened as he continued, "The World…was the only place…I could see her…" he said with a heavy sigh as his tense expression changed to one of sorrow. "At night…when…it is not…so loud…I have been…thinking…about her…" he added closing his eyes as he shuddered slightly and looked away.

Still stunned by his this sudden admission it took Shino a moment to recover and another to think of something intelligent to say. Finally she managed, "I'm know she must still think about you, and you'll get to see her again some day," she tried to reassure him. After several long and silent moments Masato spoke again, "Not…like this…never…like this…too painful for her…too painful for…my…mother," he added his voice wavering at the end as a single tear slid down his face at the thought of his sister. He really did love Aina with all his heart, and when they had met offline Shino had seen personally how hard it was for him to be separated from her.

With a sigh Shino's lips tightened, she didn't know why he had such a strained relationship with his mother and despite her curiosity she knew it was wrong to pry, but still she wondered sometimes. Touching his arm she tried to console him, "I know that being here must be hard for you. But there are people who need you here with them…now matter how…" she paused trying to find the right word to say, "…hurt you are," Shino said as she lifted her hand and rested it on his cheek turning his head so she could look him in the eyes.

Shino could see the pain and torment in his eyes. _What's been going through his mind all this time?_ she wondered strangely. Somehow she had gotten the idea that this whole time he had just been drifting, not really aware of what was going on around him. But clearly that wasn't the case. Had he been spending these past weeks thinking back on what had happened in his life and in The World? Blaming himself or wondering how he might have done things differently? So many times she had woken up and watched him sleeping, hoping and praying that someday the man she used to know would come back to her.

So many times she had fallen asleep and dreamed of when the Twilight Brigade had still been active, or dreamed of even the drifting partial glimpses that she had received during the time when she had been in a coma and been able to see what Ovan and Haseo were doing and going through. Sometimes she would wake up thinking it had all been a dream. But when she went to get Masato ready for the day ahead, then reality and the truth that was in front of her would sink in once again, opening her eyes to the fact that things hadn't changed and if they had then it certainly didn't feel very encouraging. At time she just wished she could stay asleep dreaming of how things used to be.

Masato closed his eyes, welcoming her touch and reassurance, "Ryou…Haseo misses you too. You were like a brother to him…and I know that given the chance he would welcome the chance for you to explain what happened. He wouldn't blame you at all if he just knew the truth," Shino said gently and he nodded slowly as he placed his hand over hers. With a sigh he opened his eyes as he concentrated, trying to get his words out, "Shouldn't…be here…life…of your own…shouldn't…be taking care…of me like this," Masato told her, his voice strained as he looked away, unable to meet her sympathetic gaze with his own guilty one. Shaking her head in denial Shino paused to brush the hair out of his eyes; she really needed to give him another hair cut.

"College isn't going anywhere. If there are people in front of me who need help then I'm not going to just ignore them. As long as you need me I'll be here to support you _and _any decisions you make," Shino swore and he shifted his gaze back to her, staring at her for a long moment before asking, "I…don't deserve…your help…not…after what…I've done," he admitted his body tensing abruptly as he backed up, his eyes shuttered and closed. Knowing that look Shino sighed and let her hand drop as Masato turned away from her. Once he made up his mind there was no persuading him. It was the same during the Tri-Edge incident. He had gotten it in his head that he needed to do all of the work alone despite the fact that Haseo would have been more than willing to work with him if he had only known the whole story.

_What are you so afraid of Masato? Why are you so scared of letting people into your thoughts?_ Shino wondered as she relented and slid her hand into his, "Come on…we both need to get some rest," she told him, missing the ever-so-slight twitch that came upon his hearing the disappointment in her voice. Mera stood up and shook herself off before heading back towards the house. Shino led him back to the house, and after making sure he was resting in bed, she went around one last time to make sure the house was locked up. Sighing she headed back to her room and slid into the queen sized bed, Mera jumping up and taking her place on the end as always. Staring at the ceiling Shino rubbed her temple, _If that man told me what was on his mind even once I think I would have a heart attack, _she noted sourly as she rolled over and closed her eyes.

* * *

Corbenik ducked just in time as Fidchell's _Quadra Halo_ attack sliced through the air just below him. The Prophet shuddered again as a violent spasm wracked his body once again, "He can't be gone! He can't be gone!" Fidchell screamed in agony as he used _Spinning Death_, ripping off his mask and whipping his arm around as he threw it at his fellow Avatar. Quickly the Rebirth glowed briefly before sending out an energy shockwave from his body to deflect the attack.

The Rebirth had his systems on 'sleep mode' so he could finally have some peace after the long day Aihane had forced him and Fidchell through. Unfortunately he had been woken suddenly by his companion's tormented wailing. He hadn't been able to get so much as a word in before Fidchell had started land blasting the area, launching attacks in all directions as he chanted the same four words over and over. At first Corbenik and gotten the heck out of the way so as not to get his head blown off or something. But it quickly became apparent what was going on. All Eight Phases were connected to their Users and to each other. The stronger they became, the more sensitive that bond became. The feeling wasn't nearly as bad as the pain and loneliness that came with being ripped away from Ovan, but still once the initial shock and surprise of being attacked out of the blue had worn off, he had immediately known what had happened.

Corbenik placed a hand on his chest as he shook his head; the feeling was slight but strong and insistent all the same. The sensation of loss, of having something important and vital suddenly torn away. The Rebirth hissed bitterly to himself as his fingers tightened angrily, _Yata is dead…he must be…that's the only thing that would make Fidchell lose control like this, _he considered, knowing that he had to fight back in order to get his companion to stop. Lifting his arm Corbenik gathered a ball of energy with _Clinch Needle _before smashing it into hundreds of shards that flew towards through the air, knocking away Fidchell's Spinning Death attack and impaling the reddish-gold Epitaph with purple spikes.

Pushed back, Fidchell grunted in pain and swayed slightly as he raised lifted his arms slightly to use _Will of the Gods_, but before he could finish a long needle slammed through his back and out the front as Scorpius pinned the Prophet down with his tail, draining his data and immobilizing him so he couldn't use any more attacks. The black and red AIDA snapped his tail back, leaving not so much as a mark to show that Fidchell had been hit. Groaning with pain and fatigue the Prophet slumped over finally done fighting. Corbenik relaxed his fighting stance and was grateful yet again that the massively powerful AIDA was on their side now.

Scorpius pinned him down with one of his claws for good measure before turning to stare at Corbenik through narrowed crimson eyes, "I was _trying_ to get some rest," he grumbled with clear irritation as Corbenik rubbed the back his neck. "Sorry about that. My systems were powered down when he…" he paused and motioned to Fidchell who was still imprisoned by the AIDA's massive claw and broke off. Grunting at that Scorpius was about to say something else when Fidchell suddenly started speaking again.

Lifting his head the Prophet spoke cryptically, _And thus thine master who rules over the little child of prophecy doth fell to the earth, while thine child of prophecy doth fade deeper into the grasp of the dark one who rules the shards of darkness. His spirit broken, the child of prophecy lies sleeping as a new master waits to be found. And as thine little children and thy masters mourn his passing from heaven the greatest shards of all begin to gather…waiting for the day when they would return their power to the little children and both will finally be complete. But the dark one of heaven halts not his progress...and the days of the master who is two and yet one doth come to an end at his hands, _Fidchell prophesied wearily as he closed his eyes before opening them again and lifting a hand to his head.

With a snort Scorpius let go of Fidchell and Corbenik rushed over to grab his fellow Epitaph as the scorpion AIDA simply turned around to leave, "Hey! Where are you going! We need to figure this prophecy out!" Corbenik objected stridently as he stared at the retreating data anomaly/virus in disbelief. Scorpius stopped and, because he couldn't look behind him, turned around to address the Rebirth. "Prophecies can wait until morning when our systems are refreshed and we're not worn out from a day of slaving for Aihane," he commented simply before scuttling back around and leaving for his little corner of the data space.

Corbenik scowled at that as Fidchell continued to mumble to himself. Looking down he shook his head as he thought about the prophecy, _What does it mean? _he tried to think but his head protested the extra work immediately and the Rebirth sighed heavily, _Scorpius is right…maybe it is best just to leave this until morning, _he considered as he settled himself, deciding to watch over Fidchell a little longer just in case.

* * *

In the outer dungeon everything was quiet. The Avatars had all gathered together, but the attitude was solemn. Tarvos looked over at Skeith and Innis who were present but looking more disturbed then ever by the news they had just received. Hinote Gorre and Gorre Taiga were holding hands as Magus clenched his fists angrily. Macha floated there in silence as their newest member, the cobra-AIDA Abtrunniger, sat coiled up next to Skeith.

They were still somewhat suspicious of him, but at the same time data didn't, and couldn't lie. They may avoid the truth and try to mislead, but they would _never_ tell a total lie. Only humans felt the need to engage in such behavior. So when Abtrunniger had said that he wanted to join up with them, and had added that he wanted to keep Aihane from enslaving any more AIDA fragments such as himself, they had deliberated for a bit before deciding to accept his words at face value. They had no reason _not_ to believe him and either way they would explain the situation to Rhodesia as soon as possible, since she was the human in charge now.

Meanwhile…Tarvos closed her eyes as she felt her master Reiko's deep pain and agony. Looking down she stared at Ambrosia, which was Rhodesia's PC name in The World. "So Takumi…Yata is…he's really…" the Avenger stopped and shuddered at what she already knew. They had all felt it, that same aching feeling in their breast…the feeling that something had been taken away. Magus shook his head in denial, "He can't be! I mean…he couldn't have just…just," he stopped there, unable to bring himself to say the words. All of them were deeply shaken by this incident.

Ambrosia looked up at them, "Afraid it so. Overdose on sleeping pills he did," she explained softly as Skeith narrowed his eyes, he was crouched over in the corner with his arms on his knees. "Was he in pain?" the Terror of Death asked suddenly and all of the Avatar's glanced over at him before staring down at Ambrosia intently for an answer. Apparently they hadn't considered that. With a small shake of her head she replied, "Not at all. Just like falling asleep for him it was," she added with genuine sadness as her gaze slid over to the PC standing near the Avenger.

Pi too was there and standing next to her Avatar Tarvos silently, her expression one of pain and great resentment as she glared over at Ambrosia. The two women had never really gotten along and the relationship hadn't improved any since that day Endrance had brought her to Netslum Tartarga. The Avatar's on the other hand actually rather approved of the foreign woman, even Skeith respected her, which was highly unusual to say the least.

They all could feel the tension in the area but were trying to ignore it for the moment. Skeith nodded at that, "Well then at least he had some peace in the end," he commented as Innis clasped her hands together. No doubt thinking of Atoli…of Chigusa who was still lying in a hospital bed alone. The Terror of Death stared at the ground as he reflected on his own User. Ryou was lying in a hospital bed completely dependent on Skeith to take care of him. No one else would ever know _just_ how close the young man had come to dying, and only Innis realized that the only thing keeping him from dying _now_ was Skeith's ability to control his body functions. Ryou's brain was heavily damaged to the point where its functions had been severely impaired. Skeith's newfound abilities, though, meant he could not only force the damage to heal, but also "patch over" those areas to keep the parts of the body they affected from shutting down. Like applying a bandage or cast to hold everything together.

Pi scoffed at those words as she straightened and let her arms drop to her sides, "Peace? Yata lost _everything_…The World was falling apart and he couldn't do anything to stop it. Aihane was running rampant and destroying everything Yata had worked so hard to preserve…and he couldn't do _anything_ to keep it from happening. Then…he lost Fidchell…" she paused and glared spitefully at Ambrosia whose lips thinned at what was coming. Pi's face twisted with anger as she stared at the other woman, "Then he lost his position and respect at CC Corp because of _you_," she spat and Ambrosia twitched at that hate filled jibe but didn't respond.

Tarvos looked down at her partner sympathetically, it was Aihane's fault this had happened, not Ambrosia's or anyone else's. She didn't blame the other woman for this incident, but at the same time she knew that Pi was in a tremendous about of pain right now and she wanted _someone_ to blame for the loss of the man she had cared so much about. Hinote Gorre was about to say something but Macha poked her in the side with a clawed finger and she growled slightly but ultimately kept her mouth shut. Gorre Taiga glanced back and forth between the two women as if he wanted to interrupt.

Abtrunniger cleared his throat, making the first comment since Pi and Ambrosia had shown up, "Uh…I'm sure you have much to do in light of this situation. Perhaps we should all get some rest and look further into the matter when the sun is actually up in the real world," the AIDA said tactfully, having seen enough of the situation to realize that things weren't going to end up anyplace good if things continued the current path. Ambrosia too could see that it was best if she took her leave. Nodding at that she stared at him for a moment and Abtrunniger flashed a toothy smile as he received and read the message she had sent his way, "Ich verstehe vollkommen. Wir können später reden," he said cheekily in German and Ambrosia gave a tired smile at that as she gave a small nod, "Auf Wiedersehen," she said back to him fluently before blue rings rose up around her as she left the from the area.

Skeith's eyes narrowed in disgust as he turned to address Pi, "There was no need to antagonize her like that. She is just doing her job," he commented stiffly and Pi's face flushed red with anger, "That's exactly the problem! WE were doing just find without her sticking her nose in our business! Yata was doing just fine and if he had been allowed to continue doing his job then maybe he would…maybe he would still be…" she paused as her voice cracked but the Terror of Death was unsympathetic.

Skeith shook his head in denial, "Ambrosia or Rhodesia as she is called in the real world—was brought in at the first signs that AIDA had returned; weeks before Fidchell was taken from Yata. It was only when _he_ failed to perform the duties that came along with his position that CC Corp appointed her as the direct overseer and director of the G.U. project. Its true that he and Fidchell were separated, but Yata is the one who allowed himself to slip farther and farther into depression instead of allowing others to help him. He _chose_ to stay away from The World instead of immersing himself in it in order to find reconnect to Fidchell," he reminded her coldly and with little empathy.

Pi bristled at that as she glared at him, "Don't you dare blame him for…" she began but this time it was Magus who spoke up, sliding between them he said, "Skeith isn't blaming anyone," he said reasonably as Innis put a hand on Skeith's shoulder. The Terror of Death grunted and turned away impassively. Trying to keep a full-blown shouting match from erupting Magus added, "Like it or not all he is doing is stating the facts. Yata…Takumi…he was a troubled man whose only true love was this online world that our creator Harald Hoerwick first created. When he lost Fidchell he must have felt as if he had lost all he had. Rhodesia has done everything in her power and moved heaven and earth to try and help him. She kept CC Corp from hypocritically turning their backs on him and even went to Yata for advice despite the fact that she was technically his boss," he said as Pi pursed her lips and turned away, not wanting to hear this.

Magus leaned closer, trying to catch her gaze, but Pi continued to stare down at the floor. Sighing at that the Propagation looked back over to Skeith for support and the white Avatar turned back to him, "You can blame Rhodesia, Yata himself, or even Aihane…but being angry at someone or something will _not_ bring him back to life," he commented callously and Pi flinched visibly at those words as she closed her eyes. But Skeith wasn't finished yet, "This should be a lesson to all of us. _No one is safe_. Aihane is _not at all_ averse to killing off a person or two if it will further his own interests. No matter what happens to us or to our Users we must never forget our true goal of bringing an end to people like Aihane once and for all. We _must_ keep fighting…not only for the humans and other AI's who have been enslaved…" at this he paused and glanced over for a moment at Abtrunniger and the AIDA nodded slightly in agreement.

"…but also for those who have already become victims as well. Aihane will not stop because we're angry or depressed, whether it be with ourselves or someone else," Skeith commented snidely and Pi tensed at that. "We must not allow our personal feelings and emotions to get in the way of our responsibilities. Doing so is disrespectful both to those whose lives now depend on our actions…and to those whose lives have already been lost," he stated firmly and all of the other Epitaphs nodded in agreement as all were reminded not only of Yata's death, but also of the fact that Haseo and Atoli were also in trouble themselves. They couldn't allow their feelings to impair their judgment and actions at such a pivotal time. Aihane's efforts to dispose of the Epitaph User's and the Avatar's they controlled wouldn't slack off so they could mourn the passing of their friend and former leader.

Pi shuddered slightly and rubbed her arms as she swallowed hard, "Your right…I'm sorry," she finally admitted weakly and Innis shook her head, "This is a blow to all of us. I can understand your pain at losing Yata this way but we must not forget why he died and what he was fighting for," she reminded as Gorre, both of them nodded at that. Tarvos, who had been staring down at Pi, looked up as Macha, "Let's disperse for now, we all have things we need to get done and I'm sure we all have a lot we need to think about," she commented smoothly as the tension diffused.

Abtrunniger who had his head resting on his coiled body lifted his head, "Perhaps Magus and I can stay here and continue to monitor the progress the police and health team is making. Everyone else should get some rest, the morning is still young and there are many more hours left in the day. Perhaps after a little rest you will all be able to come up with a plan of action, yes?" he commented tactfully and Magus nodded as he leaned down to face Pi. "AIDA or no he's got a point. Just leave everything to us and the minute we find anything out we'll sound the alarms full blast to let you know," he commented and Pi's sad face softened with gratitude at that as she looked around at all of the Avatars around you.

"Thank you…all of your for your help," Pi said appreciatively before she logged out of The World. The needle stuck through Tarvos body glowed as it shot out a thin beam of data that opened a hole in front of the Avenger. Tarvos nodded to her companions before slipping through the data tear and leaving the area as well. Hinote Gorre turned to Skeith with her hands on her hips, "That was a pretty good speech you gave there. Even _I'm_ impressed," she noted approvingly before motioning to Gorre Taiga who bowed to them before leaving with his "twin".

Skeith stood up and wandered farther away, Magus was about to say something when Innis put a hand on his shoulder, "Let him go…Skeith…needs to be alone for a while. I'll take care of him myself. I don't think he really wants any other company right now when he has so much on his shoulders," she noted softly and he stared at her before turning to watch the Terror of Death's retreating back. Finally after several seconds he nodded slowly, "Yeah…okay. I guess your right," Magus relented as he backed up and went back to talk with Abtrunniger.

The cobra turned to the Epitaph with a broad grin, "So now that that's done with how about some music?" Abtrunniger questioned cheerfully and Magus tilted his head as he considered that. Looking over his shoulder he turned back to the AIDA, "Music? Sounds good to me. I suggested it to Tarvos and she nearly took my head off," Magus sniffed disconsolately and the cobra waved his tail, bringing up a screen with a list of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of songs. Finally the AIDA grinned and one of the songs was highlighted

Immediately the room filled with music as Abtrunniger bobbed along to the music, "The song title is _You're So Vain_ by Carly Simon. Year 1972 from the United States. A classic and the lyrics are perfect for Tarvos don't you think?" he asked, humming along as the music played.

"You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you  
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you  
Don't you? Don't You?"

Abtrunniger sang in time with the song as Magus busted out laughing at the implication, "Oh, you've sized her up perfectly all right! Turn up the sound I need to hear this one!" the Propagation managed to get between peals of laughter. He was clutching his stomach and even gasping for breath.

Innis sighed at that and shook her head as she watched them continue to talk and interact. Still she couldn't help but feel somewhat amused by the song chorus that Abtrunniger was so casually singing along to.

The cobra AIDA's behavior reminded her so much of Magus. Frowning at that the Mirage of Deceit tilted her head slightly, _They…really are similar aren't they?…almost…TOO similar, _Innis considered as she watched them interact and talk with each other. Magus' earlier consternation seemed quickly forgotten and they were actually getting along rather well. Shaking her head Innis pushed that niggling suspicion out of her mind, _I have enough to worry about as it is without wondering about those two. I doubt that AIDA means any harm, but if by some slim chance he does then Magus will be able to handle it, _she considered as she left to continue her watch over Chigusa.

* * *

**AN:** And thus concludes another chapter! Those of you who aren't really fans of Shino and Ovan might have found much of this chapter rather boring. Thinking back I should have bits an pieces of it back chapters ago when this story first started…oh well, may someday I'll get around to revising this thing. But for now I have shown what Shino was up to in the past and then gone back to the present so everything is caught up now and exactly where I want it.

On another note did you enjoy Fidchell's newest prophecy? Here it is again for those of you who need a reminder:

_And thus thine master who rules over the little child of prophecy doth fell to the earth, while the thine child of prophecy doth fade deeper into the grasp of the dark one who rules the shards of darkness. His spirit broken, the child of prophecy lies sleeping as a new master waits to be found. And as thine little children and thy masters mourn his passing from heaven the greatest shards of all begin to gather…waiting for the day when they would return their power to the little children and both will finally be complete. But the dark one of heaven halts not his progress...and the days of the master who is two and yet one doth come to an end at his hands._

Once again I'm giving all of you wonderful, loyal, readers a chance to decipher what it means, although I've tried to make it as clear as I could it still is kind of vague isn't it? Still those of you who get it right will get…um…my undying happiness and a nice mention in the next chapter's Authors Note?

Anyway you know that very last part where Innis was wondering about how…similar…Magus and Abtrunniger were? That, along with Fidchell's prophecy are a blatant hint of what's to come. They actually tie together to make up my subtle hint. Feel free to speculate everyone!

**IMPORTANT NOTE: **Due to some reviewers questions on this chapter I have set up a Poll on my Profile. PLEASE check it out and vote for what you think should happen. Your decisions will affect what happens to one of the Epitaph Users. If it turns out you readers want something different then what I have planned then I will humbly alter the future story sufficiently to reflect this. Thanks and please check it out!

Later everyone!


	26. Master, Partner, or Commander?

**AN:** Another chapter rolls around and lets start out with an announcement or two, first of all Belthasar, Shaveza, and Nifa (I couldn't help but laugh at the last part of your review!) all got Fidchell's prophecy right! Reposting what they all said would take up too much space, but if your not quite sure about what Fidchell's prophecy means then check out one of their reviews in your spare time.

Also to address a point EightTailedWolf brought up let me say loud and clear....Cubia is **_NOT_** coming back!!!!! Even in my twisted mind that will not, shall not, happen. In no way will I allow Cubia to come back, oh no...I have much WORSE things in mind for our Epitaph Users. XD

On another note a few of you have expressed concerns over the fact that Fidchell's prophecy implies that Sakubo is the next to "go". So to solve this problem I now have a poll up on my profile concerning the matter. It has three options and you can choose up to two choices. I will keep this poll open for exactly 1 month. Whatever the majority decides will prevail and I will adjust this story, (and the prophecy) accordingly to make everything fit. So there you go.

And finally the first thing you will no doubt notice is that this chapter is incredibly short compared to the last couple of chapters. I am switching things up in an attempt to churn out chapters much sooner. Real life is threatening to shut me down if I don't alter things so this new arrangement will allow me to get out updates for you wonderful readers much sooner. Sorry to those of you who don't care for short chapters but I hope you all will appreciate this new arrangement.

Okay thats it everyone, now lets get on to the chapter!

Chapter 26: Master, Partner, or Commander?

* * *

Over in the main part of the pilfered Outer Dungeon, Abtrunniger had music playing loudly as he and Magus continued watching the police investigation and monitoring their conversations. The police had pretty much figured out what had happened but still were searching around and asking questions just in case. Meanwhile off down one of the hallways in another room of the Outer Dungeon two of the other Epitaphs were in a meeting with Endrance and Ambrosia.

Thinking hard Skeith narrowed his eyes as he tried to understand what the G.U. Members were trying to tell him. Rhodesia, now in her PC known as Ambrosia, had come here wanting to talk to him and Innis. But the idea she was presenting was hard for him to grasp and_ she_ apparently was having trouble with _his_ answers as well.

Endrance was there as well and looking back and forth between his friend and the Avatar's as he listened intently. Macha was hovering next to him and she would occasionally whisper a question to Endrance, but for the most part he was just a silent observer as always.

Ambrosia rubbed her eyes as she tried again, phrasing her question a different way, "Know I do that you listen and obey Haseo...but _why_? What about him is it that makes you willing so to obey him but no one else?" she questioned looking up at the white Avatar who tilted his head at that.

The Terror of Death was silent for a moment before replying, "Because he is my chosen one," Skeith replied, yet again, with the same answer he had given the previous 4 times she had asked, and rephrased, the question. Slapping a hand over her face Ambrosia gave a "that does NOT help me' groan at that vague reply.

Apparently taking pity on her Endrance tried to clarify matters. Turning to Innis he decided to question her instead, "What exactly do you mean by _chosen one_? Is that a specific term or just a general reference?" he asked and she scratched her chin thoughtfully.

Shaking her head Innis replied, "Chosen ones refer to those few specific people with appropriate personalities that an Epitaph will consider and view as an acceptable partner," she enlightened helpfully as she motioned to the screen behind her that showed a pilfered video feed of Chigusa's hospital room.

Upon seeing that they were paying close attention Innis continued, "My first choice was Shino as you know, but when she fell into a coma I was forced to leave her and choose another. I stayed hidden, watching and observing the players here in The World for another suitable partner when I sensed Atoli with Sakaki in a field on the Delta server" Innis continued, reminiscing about that day as Skeith snorted and crossed his arms in disinterest.

Ignoring her companion the Mirage of Deceit added, "So I attached myself to her PC and you know the rest from there," Innis commented with immense satisfaction and pride. Skeith mumbled something at that but kept quiet when the female Avatar glared at him.

Ambrosia rubbed her temple as she pieced that information together in her head, "Okay, simple enough is that. But how know do you who to choose?" she asked still trying to understand the process. Skeith stared at her for a moment before replying, "They are different from other humans. If we are in close enough proximity then we can sense their presence. We just know," he said the words slowly as if she were stupid. Innis elbowed him harshly in the side for his tone and Skeith grunted and glared at her before crossing his arms once again and looking away sullenly.

"What he means is we just _know _whose cut out and who isn't. There's no other way for us to clarify it for you," Innis said apologetically and Ambrosia shook her head, "Fault you not do I," she said with a sigh, forcing herself to be satisfied with that reply.

Endrance nodded in acceptance as he addressed the previous matter, "So what does our being your 'chosen partners' have to do with you obeying or listening to us?" he asked bringing them back to their first inquiry.

Skeith turned back to put in his comments on that matter, "All of us were created directly from Morganna's main code except for me. I was created from her data as well as that of Ryou's former PC known as Sora. So I would never be able to choose another partner unless Ryou..." he paused and visibly tensed before continuing, "...unless Ryou were to die or be killed. Then my programming would dictate that I find another partner whether I like it or not," the Terror of Death told them, his voice tightening as he said the second part. He clearly didn't want to dwell on the idea for very long.

Innis nodded in agreement as she added, "I was able to chose another partner so easily because Shino had not yet awakened as an Epitaph User. But now that my bond with Atoli has grown so deep and tight, the only thing that could break the connection we now have is death. And that is true for Macha and you too Endrance, as well as all of the other Epitaph Users," Innis explained to them as Ambrosia mulled that over thoughtfully as Skeith picked up where the Mirage of Deceit had left off.

"Morganna was created to gather data on human emotions, and when she came under attack she created us as her main source of defense. So because some of her computer code runs through us, we use Data Drain to gather information not just on people, but on various other subjects as well. We also use the data we gather to improve our systems and increase our power. After all Morganna did create us mainly to fight..." Skeith began and broke off as he motioned to Innis to finish.

Picking up the explanation Innis continued, "But then when we were individually defeated by the dot hackers and Morganna was destroyed, CC Corp managed to capture us and experimented with our damaged computer code," she said tightly, clearly not liking the memory. Shaking her head she continued, "They modified our data so that we would accept a human _master._.." she said sarcastically as Skeith picked up the explanation in a smug tone.

Clearly satisfied the white Avatar said,"...but we had our _own_ ideas. We realized that being connected to a human would greatly accelerate our growth process, so we decided to accept the change and allowed our data to be altered in...certain ways," the Terror of Death commented pleasantly and Ambrosia raised an eyebrow at that.

With a self-satisfied attitude Skeith shrugged calmly, "What changes we didn't 'appreciate' we simply rejected or refused," Skeith added charmingly as Innis rolled her eyes at his tone. Ambrosia opened her mouth but then shut it and shook her head, waving for them to continue.

Satisfied Skeith went on with his explanation, "Allowing the CC Corp employees to change some of our code so that we would be forced to accept human partners wasn't viewed as that big of a deal, our thinking at that time was that anything our partners asked of us would be greatly overshadowed by what we would receive in return. At first we only wanted the most we could get out of the situation, but we have since come to...reevaluate that view. Still it holds true that both we Epitaphs and you humans benefit from each other," he commented simply as Innis put her hands together.

Innis leaned closer to Endrance and Rhodesia as she spoke, "So when we managed to escape back into The World, we waited until the time was right. Of course you all know about the fire that destroyed most of CC Corp's The World data, and along with that the Epitaph User-PC's they had created were lost in the system. After that the special PC's were randomly distributed when a person first logged in; they were assigned along with the person's specific number ID which stays the same no matter how many different PC's they have..." Innis paused as an unmistakable look of amusement crossed her face.

Skeith shrugged as he finished her thought, "At least that was what CC Corp was _allowed _to believe," he said and would have had a grin on his face if he was capable of it. Innis chuckled at that as Endrance smiled slightly to himself as well.

Ambrosia pursed her lips as she considered what they had just said, "Epitaph-User PC's not really specific character like people think, but refer instead to PC's ability for harnessing power and presence of Avatar's. Intensity of one of Eight Phases enough tear normal PC data apart. Epitaph-User PC more is quality like and be transferred it can from one PC to another as in case with Shino when damaged she was by Tri-Edge," she admitted thoughtfully as she clarified the matter out loud before frowning up at the three Phases standing around her.

Innis took the hint and added, "As Skeith said CC Corp was_ allowed_ to believe what they will. The _truth_ is that we are tied together with the Epitaph-PC's and when we escaped from CC Corp's grasp they naturally went with us. Afterwards we embedded them within the PC's of the people we viewed as worthy partners. They can also be removed if we so desire, which was another factor involved in me switching partners," the Mirage of Deceit explained in a satisfied tone of voice.

Skeith nodded before waving the matter off, "But that was then and this is now. Now our personal data and intelligence of how to manipulate computer code has advanced so greatly that the Epitaph User-PC modification system, as it should _technically_ be called, is no longer strictly necessary. We could just manipulate, or hack, the actual individual data of a person's specific PC rather than using the system that CC Corp created," he clarified for them both.

Shaking her head at all of this Ambrosia muttered to herself, "Didn't happen manipulate things favor in yours did you?" she questioned with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.

Macha's eyes twinkled with mischief as she put a hand on her chest in mock-innocence, "While it _is_ true that we can sense who is a chosen one the moment they access a computer, I can't _believe_ you would accuse us of _deliberately _influencing _everything_ in our favor...the very thought is insulting," she feigned hurt feelings as she put a hand to her head dramatically.

Skeith gave a helpless shrug, "We're just doing what we can to protect ourselves, what's so wrong with that?" he asked lightly as Ambrosia scowled at them all.

"Be death of me your machinations will. Keel over from stress one day I shall," Ambrosia grumbled irritatedly to herself as she rubbed her forehead again, she could already feel a headache coming on. Macha leaned down to their level, "Now, now don't be rash. We might send you to the hospital a few times but you won't die _just_ yet," she said pleasantly before the woman waved her off.

Sighing heavily Ambrosia shook her head, "Fine, whatever. Back to work all you. Try not blow something up before come back I do," she warned and Innis tilted her head in amusement, "What? Don't you _trust_ us?" she inquired with angelic innocence.

Shooting them a withering look Ambrosia snorted derisively, "Trust you far as I can throw you I do," she shot back as the Avatar's continued to be amused by her irritation with them. Endrance bowed slightly, "Thank you for your time, this has been very enlightening," he said as Ambrosia muttered something else to herself before transferring them out of the Outer Dungeon.

* * *

Midmorning had rolled around and the G.U. leader was in Kaoru's living quarters, which was located in the G.U. Headquarters complex on the other side of Tokyo several miles away from the CC Corp main building that most people thought of and visited.

Kaoru had been offered a large apartment suite here and had accepted the offer. Rhodesia herself along with Reiko lived here as well. Takumi had moved out of his home some time ago and had stayed just down the hallway right before his...accident. Tomonari Kasumi, or Kuhn as he was known in The World, had also relocated here as well just in case and was quite a ways down the hallway.

Finding out where all of the Epitaph Users lived would be a simple chore for someone like Aihane, so Rhodesia had arranged it so that they could all move here secretly and have less chance of the hacker finding them.

With a sigh Kaoru pushed the M2D headset up past his eyes and turned to Rhodesia who was sitting next to him, "Did I really need to be there for that?" he questioned apathetically, he had wanted to put in several hours training in The World to help take his mind off of Takumi's death, but instead Rhodesia had come knocking with a request for him to come along with her to an impromptu meeting with the Epitaphs.

Rhodesia flashed him a broad smile and winked coyly, "Just needed Epitaph User point of view did I," she replied happily, quite pleased that once again she had managed to rope him into her schemes. Kaoru grunted at that, "You only dragged me in because I'm the only one won't say "no" to you, and you don't want to listen to everyone else's flimsy excuses...or deal with Reiko's temper," he muttered as he brought up The World screen and logged in as a normal player.

Flipping a hand through her hair Rhodesia added, "Ease up wish I you would. Not keep you here forever I didn't" she assured, keeping her real thoughts to herself. Personally she was worried about Kaoru. Despite her other responsibilities she could clearly see that Kaoru had 'withdrawn' into himself once again, spending even more time on the Internet than was normal for him. Not only had the hikikomori been willing to leave his parent's house and come here to live, but she had managed to get him back out in the real world for at least a little bit each day, even if it was primarily because of Ryou and Chigusa.

_And he was doing so well until Takumi died too,_ Rhodesia considered giving him a sidelong glance as she placed the M2D back on the desk. She stretched her arms over her head and pushed the chair back, "Stay wish I could, but need put this down while still fresh in memory I do," the African woman concluded, satisfied with the way things had gone.

Kaoru watched silently as she stood up and waved a farewell to him over her shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped at the last minute and turned back to the computer, slipping his M2D back on and turning his attention back to The World

* * *

Ryou twitched as his mind struggled to wake up and get moving. His thoughts ground to a halt before stuttering forward again and the cycle repeated itself as his body shivered and tried to respond to what he was trying to tell it.

The encounter with Chigusa's father was still all too fresh in his mind. Ryou was confused as he opened his eyes only to find everything blurry and out of focus. The sound of a gunshot was still ringing loudly in his ears and the feeling of the knife blade grating in his body was still there. Closing his eyes again Ryou started to panic as he realized he couldn't move.

He could still hear the man's footsteps in his ears. He could feel the knife sliding through his back and sticking there. Ryou could feel the pain shooting through his body and stealing his breath away and making every intake of air harder and more painful.

Panicking Ryou struggled to move but his limbs weren't responding. Where was he? Where was his attacker? Had he gone back and hurt Chigusa?

Agonizing spasm's wracked his body as his muscled began to scream in protest. Ryou's alarm increased as his damaged mind failed to pull the pieces together. The sound of the gunshot and the look of fear and dismay in Chigusa's eyes before he blacked out were the only thoughts in his mind and they repeated themselves over and over with muddled lucidity as he fought to make his brain work properly.

A stabbing, throbbing pain shot through his head and skull to area's of his head he didn't know existed. Whimpering from the pain Ryou shivered and desperately turned his head to the side, then noticing the strange tube stuck in his mouth and stuffed down his throat. Heart pounding in his chest Ryou blinked furiously and tried to lift his arms to rub the blurriness away from his eyesight but nothing responded the way he wanted it to.

_What...? Where am I? Where...is...is..., _Ryou was still delirious and couldn't come up with the right words.

Ryou's body flinched away as an alarm suddenly started blaring, he could hear a machine beeping at an incredible rate and the airy whooshing of a machine sucking air in and out at a rapid pace as his emotions went from alarm to full out hysteria. Nothing made sense and the more he tried to think the less he understood.

_Easy Ryou, I'm right here with you, everything's okay, _a calm voice in his head spoke up.

After a moment of stunned silence Ryou remembered who this familiar voice and presence was, _S....Skeith?_ he asked immediately grabbing on to the one thing that he knew was sure and constant in his life. He desperately latched onto the presence of his Epitaph desperately, not understanding what was going on, but knowing subconsciously that the Terror of Death had always been his power, his partner, and now his guardian.

_Yes, I'm here. There is no need to panic anymore. Ikari is gone and locked away, _Skeith assured him, as the loud alarm and beeping machine shut off abruptly, leaving only the sound of the last device and the sounds it made as it pulled air in and out.

_He's really gone?_ Ryou asked hesitantly, the pain in his back still stabbing at him. Quickly Skeith's calming presence swept over him, urging the young man to calm down.

_Yes, he is in jail and isn't going to be coming out for a long time. You're in the hospital now and your injuries are being cared for. Everything is okay. Your safe, _Skeith assured him firmly as Ryou turned back towards the ceiling and closed his eyes. His heartbeat was slowing down and his breathing easing automatically as well despite his escalated emotions.

_What about...?_ Ryou stopped and failed to finish his sentence. What if Chigusa hadn't survived? What if she wasn't okay?

Knowing what he was trying to say Skeith was quick to soothe him, _Chigusa is safe and sound. She is...not far from you, _he paused for a moment, changing his words at the last minute. Ryou was still delirious from the pain, the damage his brain had suffered, and also from the medications the doctors had him on. Even if the Epitaph User was told that he was in a hospital, his mind in its current state wouldn't be able to comprehend what that meant. Still those words clearly helped temper Ryou's emotions.

_But she's still hurt isn't she? _the young man questioned further, wanting and needing more reassurance from his Avatar that his girlfriend was really okay.

Skeith's tone was calm as he replied, _Her injuries ARE serious but nowhere near your level. She is in excellent care and Innis is watching over her ever move. It will take time but Chigusa's physical injuries will heal just fine. She's going to make it through this and so are you, _he modulated his tone and choose his words extremely carefully so as not to give his partner any reason for further alarm. But he stated the last part firmly, knowing how important it was for the teenager to stay calm right now.

Relieved by that information Ryou winced as his body continued to protest any and all movement that he made. Tears sprang to his eyes as the agony distracted him from any and all questions he might have had. The pain was excruciating and radiated throughout his chest. Opening his eyes Ryou was flinched and was forced to shut them almost immediately as the light suddenly began to burn his eyes, heightening his discomfort. His back muscles were so tight if felt as if they would rip apart at any moment.

Exhaustion pulled at him as Ryou's mind began to force him into unconsciousness in order to cope with the pain.

Quickly Skeith stepped in urgently, _Ryou I need you to listen to me!_

The sudden firmness of his Epitaph's voice was startling but Ryou's was in too much pain to care, the agony coursing through him was the only thing he could focus on, _I can't...there's too much..._ he stopped as the Terror of Death interrupted him.

_Listen to me Ryou!_ Skeith demanded suddenly, stunning Ryou into momentary silence as his foggy mind began to stir around in hazy panic; if the Avatar was alarmed then something MUST be wrong.

With a sigh Skeith softened his tone as he saw that his words were only making his chosen partner more and more upset, _I know your hurt, but please listen closely to me. I can take the pain away...but I need your permission to do so first, _he requested as Ryou groaned deeply and tossed his head to the side as he tried to fight away the pain long enough to make sense of what he was hearing.

_I...I don't care. Just...just make it stop...make it go away, _Ryou pleaded trembling as he reached his pain threshold and spots danced behind his eyelids. He could only take a few more seconds of this.

Skeith growled at that, _That's not enough! I __**want**__ to help, but your my..._the Avatar suddenly broke and was silent for a moment before continuing, _I need your __**permission**__. I need you to __**say**__ that I can help you, _he stated firmly not backing down despite his guilt at making Ryou endure his pain longer.

_I...yes, yes I don't care...go ahead, _Ryou responded desperately, just wanting all the pain to stop.

For Skeith though that wasn't enough, _Say it! I need you to say it!_ he demanded loudly his overwhelming presence nearly smothering the teenager.

Clinging to consciousness Ryou's body trembled again as he fought to gather his thoughts, _Can't...there's too much..._he couldn't think, couldn't breathe, he just wanted to pain to go away.

_Say it Ryou! Tell me what you want me to do!_ the Terror of Death commanded stridently, his urgent undertone compelling his partner to answer.

Shouting with pain and desperation Ryou answered him, _Anything! Everything! I don't care...just do whatever...whatever you think should be done! _his voice was weak and growing weaker every second as he slipped away into darkness.

There was a moment of silence before Ryou felt all of his pain drain away.

_That...was exactly what I needed to hear. Don't worry Ryou...I will take care of everything from here on out, _Skeith said reassuringly, his tone satisfied as unconsciousness finally pulled Ryou's mind down.

* * *

Night had come and even the Outer Dungeon was dark. Tarvos had set up a clock so that the dungeon would become lighter or darker depending on what time of day it was. It was set to the clocks in CC Corp since many of the Epitaph Users worked for that company now.

Most of the other Avatars were resting, their systems in "sleep" mode so that their internal code could run through and organize itself, as well as delete unneeded data so that things would run more smoothly. It was similar to shutting off a computer to clear out the memory and then turning it back on again. Humans needed sleep to help their brains recharge and while A.I.'s did something similar, they weren't necessarily "asleep" in the human sense of the word, in the same way that a computer wasn't disconnected simply because you hit the "off" button.

Their outer systems were shut down temporarily so that everything could recharge and restore itself smoothly. It really only took a maximum of a few minutes, but if possible the optimum time was between 1 and 2 hours, just as people were advised to have 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

Abtrunniger, however, along with Hinote Gorre and Gorre Taiga were still working in the center of the area.

Silently Skeith watched them from around the corner, making sure not to alert them to his presence. The cobra AIDA still had music playing but it was softer and more suited to the mood of the quiet surrounding them. Gorre was working without arguing with each other and everything was calm.

Satisfied the Terror of Death floated backwards before turning around and nearly slamming into Innis in the process. Startled by her sudden appearance Skeith quickly recovered his composure and narrowed his eyes at the Second Phase.

"What are you doing here? I thought your systems were shut down for the night?" Skeith questioned, silently cursing her presence. She just knew him too well now didn't she?

Innis crossed her arms and tapped a finger impatiently, unmoved by his bluster, "I could ask the same of you too Skeith. Not planning on taking Haseo and jumping ship again are you?" she inquired, her tone falling just short of a demand.

With a sniff Skeith ignored her and pushed by, "I don't answer to you," he fired back defensively as she followed him back to their corner of the data space where all of their information on Chigusa and Ryou was located. Camera feed, medical records, brainwave, heartbeat, and breathing monitors were also displayed on individual screens hovering in the air. Calmly the Terror of Death took down his portion of the data and carefully filed it in a special folder that could be moved if a person so desired. Magus had taught him how to set the folder up earlier this day, quite unaware of what his friend was planning to do.

Innis stopped and dropped her arms, "Why are you doing this?" she questioned lightly, making sure not to patronize him. Glancing back at her Skeith continued "packing up" the information that he would need.

"Haseo won't heal fast enough if things continue like this. I need more control of his body then I do now. I need his consciousness out of the way so that I can have full and complete authority over his body," he replied shortly wanting to hurry up and get this over with as soon as possible so he could get on his way.

The Mirage of Deceit straightened in surprise at this information, "Do you have his permission to do so?" she questioned after a moment of hesitation. Skeith's clawed hand froze in midair before he turned his head over his shoulder to look at her, nodding slowly as he did so.

Innis closed her eyes for a moment before floating closer to him, "Are you sure this is for the best?" she asked him softly and the white Avatar looked down for a moment, his hands trembling ever so slightly. Noticing this she leaned closer, reaching over and putting her hand over his. "If you think it is...then I promise I'll support your decision. But I need to know if this is _really _what you think is best for Haseo," she urged him gently, knowing that her friend's strong facade easily hid how unsure and, yes, scared he really was.

She heard Skeith swallow hard as his hand tightened, "This is the only method left that I can think of. Even with the hospital security it would be so easy for Aihane to come or send someone else to hurt him. Things _aren't_ going to get any better," he acknowledged as Innis nodded in agreement of that statement. With a heavy sigh the First Phase took a deep breath, "For a long time...I've been wondering about why I was created...about why WE were created," he said seriously as he finished packing up the data.

Turning around Skeith faced Innis as he continued, "When this all first started...I was..._happy_ obeying Haseo. Sure Morganna created us to fight and gather data, but to what end? Fighting with Haseo though was different, he had a _purpose_ for fighting and gathering information, he had a REASON for doing everything he did. Something that I had always lacked," he admitted wearily as he shook his head at the thought.

"But now....now as long as Haseo needs me for something..." Skeith stopped suddenly and pulled his hand away, embarrassed by his sappy thoughts. Rubbing his neck awkwardly he glared at Innis as she giggled at him.

Clearing her throat she nodded in agreement, "I know what you mean, as long as I can be there as Chigusa's partner and guardian then I don't need anything else, right?" Innis commented and Skeith shrugged ambivalently at that. With a sigh at that response she extended her sword and used it to open a tear in the data.

Surprised Skeith crossed his arms questioningly as Innis smiled at him, "You don't think I would let you vanish off on your own do you? You wouldn't know a good area to hide Haseo in if it came up and bit you," she retorted with satisfaction as she waved her arm in a few motion commands.

Data peeled away from the surrounding area and formed into two Innis copies. Satisfied the real Innis turned and motioned for Skeith to go ahead, "I figured you would try something like this so I found an area where even the other Avatar's won't be able to find you. One copy will stay here and watch over Chigusa's condition while the other will transmit information back to me should anything develop," she explained to him and Skeith nodded in grudging respect.

Floating forward Skeith hesitated before sliding through the data hole and leaving the area. Nodding to the two copies she had made Innis silently gave them their orders before following Skeith through the passage. The hole she had made closing behind them seamlessly.

* * *

**AN:** And another chapter comes to completion! Now I had already mostly planned out what I wanted to happen but then Nifa brought up a point that I thought needed addressing. Here is exactly what she (your are a girl right?) said in her review:

"I was wondering if maybe future references of the Epitaph Users as "masters" of the Avatars could be changed to partners. I mean they listen to them but they could easily rebel if they wanted. It sort of irks me as a parallel to how Aihane is trying to become their master even though I know that isn't how you mean it."

Weeeelllll guess what Nifa? Your voice has been heard!!!! I thought your point was fully valid and deserved my attention so I decided to devote most, or at least part, of this chapter to the matter and our favorite Epitaph Users will continued to mull the matter over in the next several chapters.

So thank you for bringing that up. So see? I DO listen to my reviewers! So send any and all thoughts and ideas my way please! ^_^

Meanwhile the Avatars have revealed that they have been scheming and organizing matters with CC Corp all along. Were you really surprised?

And Skeith goes AWOL again! Always exciting right? But this time Innis is right there alongside him. Unlike the time when he first encountered Scorpius in Breg Epona back in Chapter 10 he is not crazy, delusional, or in any kind of hysteria. Skeith and Innis know exactly what they're doing...but it will be a chapter or two before I let everyone else in on the secret. Lets just say that Ryou's parent's will be in for a HUGE shock when their precious son finally wakes up. (cough cough hint hint)

So there you go everyone. With these shorter chapters I am aiming for updates every two-weeks, so reviews and encouragement is much appreciated everyone. :)

And like I mentioned earlier there is a poll up on my profile concerning the fate of Sakubo! Either way I have something figured out and future that I think everyone, or at least most people) will be able to deal with no matter what happens. But remember! Either way the choice of what _actually_ happens to Saku and Bo is _**entirely **_up to you readers.

I have stepped back and left they're fate in your hands. So take the time to submit your vote! The poll will be open until June 11 which is exactly 4 weeks from now. That should be enough time for everybody to get their opinions in. Will they live or fall prey to Aihane? Its up to you guys and girls now!

See you in a couple weeks everyone!


	27. Bring It All Together Now

**AN:** Okay so maybe this wasn't up in record time or anything but at least I haven't taken forever right? Thank you so much for taking time to vote on my poll about the fate of Sakubo! There are only a few days left before I close it so if you haven't done so yet then go to my profile and be sure to make your choice please!

I also wanted to say that I now have a new beta reader who will be helping me out starting with the next chapter on. Hopefully my story will be spelled better and have better grammar from now on. ^_^

But I won't drag this author(ess) note out any longer. Lets move on to the reason why your all here. Let the story commence!

Chapter 27: Bring It All Together Now

* * *

Abtrunniger watched casually as Ambrosia addressed the remaining Avatars.

Closing her eyes with forced long-suffering, the woman took a deep breath, "When exactly did Skeith and Innis leave?" Ambrosia questioned with restrained patience. Gorre exchanged a look between themselves as Magus rubbed his neck in chagrin.

With a thoughtful hum the cobra AIDA switched the music over to a song by the astounding Chinese pianist known as Lang Lang. His work was truly amazing—if you were into that kind of thing of course. Maybe some of the tunes would help soothe the G.U. leader's escalating temper.

_She also takes the time to speak more clearly when she's angry. Probably so her words will have greater effect, _Abtrunniger considered, listening halfheartedly as he continued monitoring police conversations and flipping through reports that were now being uploaded to the Chiba police station's private network.

_At least it's **supposed** to be private, _the snake AIDA thought twitching his tail in time to the music that was now playing. _Nothing even remotely connected to the Internet is really separate. Every network based on an Internet connection can be accessed if you know the right tools to use, _Abtrunniger hummed pleasantly as he used his tail to motion activate another screen before tapping it to bring up special operations folder of his.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Abtrunniger paused his actions so that he could catch up on what was being said.

Magus was in the midst of profusely apologizing for not noticing Skeith and Innis' disappearance and bowed quickly before saying, "Really, I'm _so_ sorry about this, Ambrosia. I mean Abtrunniger and I stayed up to continue monitoring the investigation into Takumi's death...not that they're going to find anything...but either way I still should have realized when they..." the Third Phase was speaking so quickly that he was nearly tripping himself up in his readiness to explain what had happened.

Holding her hand up Ambrosia silently interrupted and The Propagation quieted down as he turned to Abtrunniger for backup. The other Avatars also turned to look over at the cobra questioningly, Tarvos with the same suspicion and arrogance that her User Pi usually displayed, while Hinote Gorre flashed him a "yeah, just where WERE you anyway?" look. Gorre Taiga turned his hopeful gaze on the AIDA, wanting to believe that he hadn't done anything wrong.

On the other side was Macha who _was_ listening...but you wouldn't know that by her current blasé attitude. She was similar to Endrance in that she kept to herself and only interacted with the other Avatar's when a mission or special research, such as Magus and Abtrunniger were currently doing, required it. She was polite and somewhat flirtatious as her title The Temptress suggested, but aside from that she was detached, aloof, and didn't appreciate others entering the invisible "bubble" she had put up around herself.

Ambrosia cleared her throat and the AIDA pulled himself out of his thoughts, tilting his head slightly, "Yes?" Abtrunniger questioned with perfect innocence. Tarvos crossed her arms at that and leveled her usual penetrating gaze on him.

Abtrunniger bowed his neck in his version of a shrug, "Out of all of you Epitaphs, Skeith and Innis are the most technologically and intellectually developed," he carefully reminded them as he turned back to the screens in front of him and riffled through several search programs that he had pilfered off several personal networks and websites.

Continuing the explanation, Abtrunniger swayed slightly in time to the music which had switched to the next song on the album, "I admit my depth of knowledge on certain matters extends well past even their own, but when it comes to overall knowledge I will readily admit that they are my superiors," the cobra acceded as he seesawed between one piece of data and another.

"Meaning..." Abtrunniger began, noticing out of the corner of his gaze that Macha was about to interrupt him, "...that if they decided to jump ship in order to protect or expedite Atoli and Haseo's healing process than I doubt any one of us would have been able to stop them even if we had known everything ahead of time," he pronounced with a decisive nod to emphasize his conclusion. The end of his tail twitched happily as he saw the little piece of code scouring the network for anything linked to the keyword he had inputted just seconds prior to launching the program.

Ambrosia clenched her jaw at his words as she spoke, "That..." she enunciated slowly, "...still doesn't answer my question," was the carefully articulated comment she threw back at him and Abtrunniger smiled a toothy grin in response.

"Entschuldigen Sie."

Quickly apologizing in German, Abtrunniger clarified himself, "What I meant was that if they, or at least Skeith, didn't want to be followed then he certainly wouldn't let anyone know when he or if he was leaving. Of course I don't know all the details, busy as I am, but I'm sure some of the others must know what's going through their heads," he opted to say.

Magus shrugged helplessly at that statement, "He's...kind of got a point there Ambrosia. Skeith isn't the most personable A.I. The World has ever seen you know...and if Innis thought she could help him...or at least keep him from doing something stupid...than I've no doubt that she would have offered to go with him willingly," Magus crossed his arms and nodded in definite agreement as he defended his new "friend".

Ambrosia looked back and forth between the two innocent faces, or rather one innocent face and one white, basically empty mask. Finally the G.U. leader heaved a sigh and glanced over at Gorre, her expression encouraging them to continue. After all she wasn't letting them off the hook just yet.

Hinote Gorre sniffed at that and rubbed her nose in disdain, "To protect Haseo of course," she stated as if it were common knowledge. Gorre Taiga stared at his other half in disbelief before interrupting by moving in front of her and clearing up that vague affirmation.

Hinote Gorre squalled in anger but Taiga Gorre ignored her and continued with, "What she's trying to say is that Skeith has complete control over Haseo's body, nearly all of us have similar control over our User's now, but that doesn't mean he knows how _everything_ works. The longer he and Atoli are in the hospital the greater the chance that Aihane could figure out a way to get at them," he explained and Ambrosia pursed her lips, but reluctantly nodded her agreement at that information.

Satisfied, Taiga Gorre straightened up, "So in order to make sure that Haseo is healing properly Skeith would need to separate his consciousness from his body and take direct command. That will let him know exactly what areas of the brain affect what and also how to speed up the healing process," he said cheerfully before Hinote Gorre punched him from behind.

"Hey, don't interrupt me like that!" she chastised angrily as her counterpart rubbed his head.

"She didn't understand what you meant! I was just trying to clear things up!"

"I don't care! Next time show more consideration!"

Hinote and Taiga both continued to argue back and forth, arms and fists waving in the air as Tarvos shook her head and moved farther away, pointedly ignoring them.

Ambrosia narrowed her eyes in confusion, "Separate who from what?" she asked looking between the Avatars for a clearer rendition.

Magus ducked one of Hinote Gorre's attacks and flashed them both a dark look, his tail curling with irritation as he floated out of striking distance.

Ignoring the squabbling Gorre Macha tried to be more helpful, "Skeith needs to separate Haseo's mind from his body. The fact that a person's body can continue to operate even after a person is technically 'brain dead' shows that the brain and who you are as a person are two different things. Scientists still can't completely explain the difference but I'm sure you get the idea," he added as an aside to his narration.

"Your getting off topic" was Macha's flat remark, and the Third Phase glared at her.

"I'm getting to it!" Magus contested defensively as he crossed his arms.

"Just what happening will someone tell me please!" Ambrosia shouted heatedly, her temper getting the best of her. She made it a point not to lose her temper, but the stress of keeping the news stations from swamping Ryou and Chigusa's hospital rooms, along with the pressure, disappointment, and guilt of Takumi's death, as well as managing the rest of the G.U. project had driven her to the edge.

_The childish antics of these blasted A.I.'s are enough to try even a monk's patience,_ Ambrosia noted sourly, her eyes flashing a clear warning at all of them to hurry this meeting up already.

Apparently her frustration sank in and Macha decided to take pity on the poor overworked and heavily stressed-out young woman.

Gently Macha tapped her chin as she spoke, "By doing this Skeith will double or even triple the rate at which Haseo's body heals. But while he does this he needs a safe place to keep Haseo's mind; a special haven if you will where Haseo will be isolated and protected from any and all detection. Plus Skeith would need time to adjust to the intricacies of...being human. There's no telling how quickly this process will take or how soon it would be before Skeith determines that Haseo is healed enough to give control back over to him. My guess is at the very _least _it will be a month before Skeith deems it okay to leave the hospital," she guessed with a nod to accentuate her conclusion.

Ambrosia closed her eyes and rubbed them tiredly; more than anything she wanted to go back to her room and go to sleep. She had spoken to the two copies Innis had created before leaving, but they hadn't been very helpful and while they were very polite, neither had given up the location of Skeith or Innis.

Frustrated, Ambrosia said, "So Skeith left help Ryou and protect him from hurt being...understand that I can. Even Innis with him leave I understand...but why NOW?" she demanded and Abtrunniger snorted at that.

The cobra AIDA bend his had back with unusual suppleness, "Because Takumi is now dead," Abtrunniger commented simply.

"After receiving the news Skeith started to panic, thinking that maybe he too wouldn't be able to protect his chosen one. He felt that it was necessary to take drastic action before the same thing could happen again," Abtrunniger concluded.

Ambrosia looked up at Tarvos who gave a "sounds good to me" shrug. Shaking her head at that the woman waved them off, "Fine, like not have trouble enough I don't. But if _anything _at all come up, tell me you will," Ambrosia said in a commanding tone of voice and even Gorre stopped fighting long enough to nod in compliance.

Satisfied Ambrosia warped out of the area.

* * *

Shino yawned as she finished brushing her hair, mentally grumbling about it the whole time as Mera lay in the doorway eyeing her newest master innocently. Shino had wanted to sleep in this morning but that idea had quickly been thwarted. Masato _was_ getting better and could handle just this one time on his own, right?

Unfortunately the alarm clock, which had been strategically placed in the corner farthest away from the bed and thus in the most inconvenient place in the room, had been out of reach of pillows, shoes, and slapping hands. Thus the device had continued its insistent call until Shino had finally gotten tired of the noise and forced herself to get up; she was NOT a morning person and had never bothered to make other people believe otherwise.

Now at 11:00 the young woman was just up and finishing the process of getting herself ready for the day. First off Shino had peeked in to see if Masato was up yet and had discovered that he was still fast asleep; he usually didn't get up until she woke him and would often doze off during the day and go to bed early.

Deciding that he would be better off getting some more sleep, Shino merely closed the door and gone off to get dressed and cleaned up.

Now she sighed and rubbed her eyes, _Today is going to be one of those days...I can feel it, _Shino's expression soured with pessimism as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Deciding that this was about as good as things were going to get she put her personal items away in one of the drawers and slid it shut.

Turning to Mera she put her hands on her hips, "Well, are you ready?" Shino asked and the rottweiler lifted her head and wagged her short stump of a tail happily. Shooing the massive dog out of the way so she could slide past, Shino turned off the bathroom light and headed back to Masato's room while Mera wandered off to find out to perform her daily rounds as a guard dog.

When she arrived at his door, Shino knocked once before peeking in and frowning at what she saw. Masato was already up and partially dressed, but she could tell by the frustrated an angry look on his face that he was already having one of his "bad days". Some days he would be relatively okay on his own and then suddenly his progress would reverse to the point where Masato was basically helpless without her.

Shino could tell that he was extremely frustrated by such starts and stops, but what frustrated both of them the most was knowing that there was nothing more that could be done; waiting was the only real option left open to them.

Steeling herself for the encounter Shino didn't bother smiling; doing so would only increase his personal frustration. Instead she nodded as Masato slowly lifted his head to watch her. He was panting slightly from the seemingly simple effort of getting dressed and even then he had only managed to pull on a pair of pants for which Shino was very grateful.

She had come from a reserved, modest family and this whole experience had been more than a little eye-opening for her. Hopefully one of these days she would manage to get over her embarrassment in...certain areas of Masato's daily care. Masato had also gotten as far as slipping his arms into a dark blue button-down shirt, but his fingers weren't working well enough to manipulate the tiny buttons.

Masato stared at her for a moment before letting his hand drop down to the rumpled bed sheets, his stony silence dragging for several seconds before he gave a terse nod. Accepting that grudging sign Shino walked over to him and gently began buttoning up his shirt for him, leaving the top open the way he preferred it.

Glancing up to his eyes Shino said, "I was planning on going into town to pick up a few things. It doesn't make sense to pay more to have them delivered up here when it would be cheaper to drive to the store," Shino commented calmly, easily sidestepping the issue of his current physical disability. By golly she was _not_ going to walk around all day under a dark cloud; depressed she may be, but that didn't mean she couldn't fight back against it.

Slowly Masato lifted his head, staring intensely at her as he digested that information. The man blinked slowly as she caught his gaze and smiled softly as she saw the worry shadowing his eyes.

Shino had noted the subtle shift in Masato's attitude as he became more aware of his surroundings and the potential danger surrounding them. _He worries about me every time I go out...he worries that I'll get hurt or that Aihane will find me,_ she considered as she finished buttoning his shirt up.

Even while playing The World Masato, or Ovan, had watched over her with a keen and cautious eye, keeping her safe from any who might wish her harm, while at the same time not making his attention obvious to others. Shino smiled to herself as her arms slid up to his neck so she could adjust his collar.

_It wasn't until Haseo mentioned how close we were that I even noticed it, but it's true...Masato has always watched out for me...for all of his friends, he just has his own way of going about it. Making sure we're safe but at the same time keeping his distance from us...always full of contradictions aren't you? _Shino considered thoughtfully. Several moments passed before Masato noticed her distracted expression. He tilted his head slightly, bangs hanging down in front of his eyes.

"What?" he questioned, his voice raspy and thick from sleep. Shino hummed slightly as she finished fixing his collar; letting her hands rest there at the base of his neck as she considered his inquiry thoughtfully, a tiny smile pulling at her lips in the process.

After a moment she responded,"You never tell a lie, but you rarely give someone the whole truth either...you seem so detached from everyone and even from Haseo and I, but you were there watching our backs every step of the way weren't you?" Shino glanced up to see his reaction and saw Masato's expression tighten slightly as he tried to figure out what she was trying to say. "Will I ever know what's going on up in that head of yours?" Shino asked lightly to put him at ease. She could feel his shoulders relax as he realized she wasn't accusing him of anything.

Masato thought for a moment before giving the first real smile she had seen out of him in months, "...probably not" he replied with a teasing lilt to his voice. Shino laughed graciously at that response as she reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes affectionately, "I guess I should have expected that from you," she admitted with calm resignation as her friend shrugged in a "take it or leave it" gesture.

Rolling her eyes at that Shino dropped her hands and helped him get up. Masato wobbled slightly, but then nodded to show that he was okay. Satisfied the young woman looked up at him and reached up to slide her fingers through his hair, "Hmm, you know I think I prefer it longer like this," Shino flashed him a coy smile as she commented on the fact that his neat hair style was now getting longer and was slightly disheveled.

Masato was surprised at her forwardness for a moment before he frowned at that opinion, "It's irritating," the man shot back even as he tilted his head slightly, welcoming her attentions all the same. Shino ignored his acerbic retort and, seeing his reaction, indulgently allowed herself to slide her hand through his dark hair one last time, "Well, you may not like it...but _**I**_ think you look _very_ handsome," she added as an aside before stepping back and heading towards the door.

Glancing over her shoulder Shino caught Masato examining himself in the mirror with a thoughtful expression on his face, but she acted as she hadn't seen anything.

* * *

The hospital room was bleached white, empty, and had a subtle glow all its own. Ryou was clothed in white hospital scrubs and was lying on the hospital bed resting, his eyes closed and his chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. Unlike before, though, there were no IV lines or monitor's hovering over him, no tube down his throat to help him breathe, and other than the bandages around his head and obscuring his left eye, Ryou's body was unmarred.

Sitting backwards on a chair with his arms crossed on the back was a twenty-something looking male dressed almost entirely in dark colors. He wore a jet black sleeveless shirt with a hood that obscured his face. Along with black pants and several chains along both sides, he had a black and crimson sash around his waist that would have hung down to his knees were he standing up. He had dark fingerless gloves and his black polished fingernails tapped randomly as he rested his chin on the palm of his left hand, his black buckled boots jittering as he continued staring at Ryou.

Beside him was a fair skinned woman who was wearing a colorful sundress that had swirls of color decorating it. The material was white at the top and melted to light blue-green at the bottom. Absently she ran a hand through her pale blue-green hair, pausing to examine the frosted white ends for a moment. Glancing over at her dour companion she sighed and brushed it back over her shoulder.

She shifted her feet, sandals scrapping slightly against the tile floor as her companion finally spoke up, "Are you sure this area server is secure? I appreciate the effort Innis..." he began only to be cut off.

"...but you don't trust me? Honestly, Skeith I even put in the time to conform the areas so that they would change according to yours and Ryou's memories to make the process easier for the boy. Yet you don't even have the grace to thank me for it," the woman fired back, crossing her arms defensively.

Lifting his head Skeith dropped his arm and grunted obstinately at that reply, mumbling what _might _have been an apology followed by a thank you. Innis rolled her eyes and brushed her hair back casually, "Well, don't hurt yourself expressing your gratitude," she stated dryly.

Skeith leaned back and looked up at her crossly from beneath his hood. Innis wasn't bothered though; his terse replies and surly attitude were just a front to cover up his concern and worry over Ryou. Now that the Epitaph User's consciousness was effectively "separated" he had been brought here to a special area that Innis had created with her Epitaph abilities.

Because she didn't affect the actual base code of an area, no one would ever find this special sanctuary, especially since it was located on a server that rarely, if ever, used FMD, HMD, or M2D software. Simply put there was no worry that someone would stumble upon a visual clue that would give them away.

The process was similar to what had happened on the AIDA server back when so many people had fallen into temporary coma's while their minds continued to be trapped inside The World. Ryou may be sleeping at the moment but he _would _wake up sooner or later and have a lot of questions when he did come around. Until then, though, Skeith was fussing like a mother hen over his User.

Still it _was_ rather cute to see him so worried like this, but Innis would never actually admit that out loud; Skeith would never talk to her again if she described him in such terms.

_He tries so hard to be tough and detached...but he cares about Ryou just as much as I care about Chigusa, _the Mirage of Deceit thought with a pleased smile before frowning slightly.

Before Skeith could react Innis picked up his hand and frowned at him, "Why are you dressed like that anyway? If you were going to switch from your Avatar body to a PC then you could have at least made it white. Even I went through the time to make the colors more-or-less match up with my Avatar form," she chastised and he scowled in return and snatched his limb away from her.

Setting his jaw defiantly Skeith looked away and focused his steely gaze on Ryou's bed, "I'm the Terror of Death, not the Angel of Light. Why that little prick Zelkova decided to make Haseo's Xth form _white_ of all the colors in the world is beyond me...and the next time I see that little Guild Master I'll make sure to..." he grumbled heatedly, flexing his hands as if ready to throttle said person.

Innis, however, waved him down,"You'll be _nice_ and _thank_ him for repairing Haseo's PC the way he did," Innis interrupted, her eyes flashing with warning as Skeith gave a nonchalant shrug and brushed off her objections.

"Whatever" Skeith retorted as he stood up and put his hands behind his head. "Seeing as I'm not _appreciated_ around here I think I'll go get some real work done. Stupid hospital personnel haven't got a clue as to what they're doing..." he added as an afterthought and Innis smiled at his irritation.

"I'll be waiting here when you get back" she responded calmly, satisfied that her ploy to distract Skeith had worked. Sitting around moping while waiting for Ryou to wake up was just going to make them _both _depressed. Being away from here would do him some good...and he _did _need to get to work.

Satisfied Innis flipped the chair around and sat down on it properly, willing to wait in Skeith's place until the boy came around. Leaning back in the chair she wondered how Rhodesia was reacting to the news of their disappearance; no doubt the woman would have a few choice words for them when they met again.

_I really **should** send a message to her e-mail address apologizing for leaving so suddenly; even if Skeith feels a little guilty he sure isn't going to say a word of apology, _Innis considered with a smile at the thought of her friend's behavior. He would get over it soon enough when he saw that his idea was really working after all.

_Yata's death is what prompted Skeith to do this...and I can't say I disagree with him and what he's doing here. Chigusa, thankfully, will recover well enough without me taking such extreme measures, _Innis thought gratefully as she closed her eyes and relaxed. Everything would work out just fine, Rhodesia was an honest, kindhearted, but firm, and powerful woman who would do her best to keep Ryou and Chigusa safe. In Innis' eyes at least she had more than proven her worth and trustworthiness.

_Time...time is all that we need right now, and we can only pray that Aihane will give it too us, _Innis considered with a brief frown before shaking her head, refusing to let such dark thoughts get her down.

* * *

**AN: **And there you go everyone! Another chapter, more drama, and more Shinato/Shinovan for those that requested it!

As for Skeith and Innis in the last part let me explain my thinking, or lack of it, to you all. Being as powerful as they are I've no doubt that they could hijack Haseo and Atoli's PC's and wander around with them if they really wanted to, but I thought it would be more interesting to see how things would go if they created PC's of their own to use. You clearly saw Skeith's view on the matter... ^_^

So while they usually stay in their "Avatar forms" if they need to wander around in the main area of The World or such than they can change their appearance to a regular PC for as long as they like. Tried to make it as simple as I could.

As for the whole Haseo/Ryou situation, remember in the G.U. games when everyone was trapped on the AIDA server while their real bodies fell into a coma? Same principle here.

Still if anyone has questions then just hit up my profile and send me a message, okay? My ears are always open to you!

The poll on my profile will be ending June 11 just to remind you all so don't forget to check it out!

So now I'm going to go get my new CD, Zimmer 483, and listen to the song Ich Brech Aus by the German pop/rock band Tokio Hotel, thank you very much, and if you haven't heard of them then you should look them up on YouTube, they are the _**greatest **_band ever and a vital upcoming scene in this story was inspired by one of their songs.

Okay enough rambling, I'm gone now, REVIEW PLEASE!!! :)


	28. Family History

**AN:** And here we go with another chapter! I would like to announce that I now have a beta reader/editor, Uber Spoonz, checking over my stories and pointing out all my errors so hopefully everything will be that much better from now on. But if you notice anything strange or a typo or something than feel free to point out my faux pas. I would love to be a serious author someday and this is the first step towards getting there!

Its time to catch up with Ryou and Chigusa's doctors to see what's been happening behind the scenes with their treatment and healing! Also Saku and Bo will be getting a special spotlight of their own in this chapter as well.

Let me point out that Bo's real name is Iori Nakanashi, because I know some of you will be going "who the heck is he?" when that section of the chapter comes up, so I wanted to let all of you know ahead of time.

Also Bo seems to suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder, which is a condition where a person "switches" identities when under stress or pressure. The person may feel the presence of one or more people talking or living inside their head. Each identity may have a name, personal history, characteristics, and even a different gender or physical qualities like needing eyeglasses. So according to the dot hack wikia, Saku is the "big sister" personality Iori / Bo created in order to protect himself against other people. You can look up that last part and more tidbits about Sakubo yourself if you like.

I've actually been feeling rather guilty for leaving Sakubo out of the story and so now they get some screen time of their own; not a huge amount, but you'll be seeing more of them and their corner of the world.

On another note... THE POLL IS NOW OVER! The votes are in and the majority has spoken! 61% voted for Saku and Bo both to live, 32% voted for Saku to "disappear" after protecting Bo, and lastly 6% of voters opted for Saku and Bo to "die."

So as promised I shall abide by the majority decision and let them live. Saku _and_ Bo will escape the death and shall remain in the story for good. Gorre _will _still be captured, but Saku and Bo shall both live on and remain a part of G.U... but there IS still a little twist coming down the pipes for them. Don't worry neither Saku nor Bo will be going anywhere and _will_ remain part of G.U....but I still have a few secrets stored away yet.

I won't keep you waiting any longer though, so lets move on with the story shall we?

Chapter 28: Family History

* * *

Dr. Lien Mei sighed heavily as she looked over the latest addition to Ryou's hospital chart. The electronic personal computer pad that was sitting in front of her updated itself every time one of the hospital departments added something to the teenager's files.

Currently Lien was in the break room sitting at the round table inside as she tried to scarf down her breakfast sandwich. She wanted to finish eating before someone called, beeped, or rushed in to drag her off again. Really, she should have been off last night at 9:30, but a simple request had turned into yet another all-nighter.

_I try to help just __**one**__ more patient and look what happens...I get sucked back into the hospital vortex, _Lien considered with a sigh as she leaned back in the chair, working the kinks out of her back as she took a sip of her espresso; maybe the sugar and caffeine would keep her awake for a little while longer. Her shift started in an hour so it didn't make much sense to go home at this point.

Lien was distracted by a knock at the door and looked up to see Ian Evans, Chigusa Kusaka's doctor, peering in at her. Lien motioned him in, mouth full, as she finished the last bite of her breakfast. It was unlikely that she would get the chance for a lunch break, so breakfast alone would have to suffice for the time being. With a grateful smile Ian stepped inside the room, allowing the door to swing shut behind him as he moved over to the table.

Pulling a chair out, Ian sat down across from Lien and sat his own computer pad down in front of him, "Still here...and already hard at it I see," the American doctor observed as Lien's device beeped, drawing her attention. The screen switched to a picture of a CT scan that had just been performed minutes ago in the radiology center. Humming absently at his comment, Lien examined the image more closely, enlarging and inspecting it from different angles; the frown that had spread across her lips deepened further as she viewed it.

The Chinese woman raised her eyes and eyed her companion suspiciously, "Weren't you gone too? I know I saw you leave." Lien left her comment hanging as her gaze slide back to the touch screen in front of her. Raising an eyebrow pensively, she waited for his reply.

Ian scratched his head in embarrassment and cleared his throat before saying, "I _was_ at home...but I just couldn't stop thinking about that girl Chigusa...so I came back and decided to stay with her for a while. I can't help but feel bad for her you know?" he sighed and scratched his mussy hairdo. Thinking about her situation never failed to depress him and dredge up old, painful memories.

With a critical sniff Lien rolled her eyes at Ian's confession, "And you say _women_ are emotionally sensitive," she muttered, tapping the touch screen with her pen and pulling up an older image beside the one she had just received.

Ignoring her derisive tone Ian shrugged helplessly and continued, "Her mom has disappeared and will probably be charged with abuse and child endangerment or something, and her dad is already in jail for attempted murder..." he broke off as he looked between the two images, finally realizing what had her so distracted. It was difficult to evaluate the images properly when viewing them upside-down, however, so Ian walked around the table and peered over Lien's shoulder.

With a small gasp Ian abruptly leaned back in surprise, "There's no way that can be right...are you sure the radiologists didn't send you the wrong images of Ryou's brain?" he questioned analytically. Lien shook her head, her face slightly pale as her grip tightened on the mobile computer.

Searching for the right words Lien finally said, "No way. These are definitely the right ones...his brain is healing..." the woman paused and thought for a moment, "...at least 4 times faster than it should be," she confirmed, shaking her head in wonder at the very notion.

Locating the room's calender Ian silently counted off the days marked on the page. "But its only been seven days since Ryou and Chigusa were admitted here. I'm no neurosurgeon, but even I know that it should take _at least _a couple weeks for that kind of healing to even _start_ taking place," he observed, reaching over across the table to grab his own pad. Lien's remarks had prompted had gotten him thinking as well.

Tapping it a few times Ian grunted as his suspicion's were confirmed, "Now that you mention it Chigusa has been displaying strange healing patterns as well. I mean she hasn't been eating which doesn't surprised me, but its like..." Ian stopped mid-thought and shook his head in denial, "No, that sounds too farfetched," he decided suddenly, looking up to find the seat across from him empty and the room's door swinging shut. He slipped the device under his arm and quickly followed Lien out of the room.

Lien could hear Ian rushing up behind her as she strode purposefully towards the elevator. She cast a brief glance over her shoulder before stopping in front of the metal doors and pressing the button to summon the elevator. Once he had caught up, she all but thrust the pad in his face for him to see it. Ian leaned back slightly as she did so and examined the screen carefully.

Lien spoke quietly so the conversation would not be overheard, "The actual gray and white matter in Ryou's brain has healed by thirty percent since he was first examined down in the ER. Furthermore, there has also been a twenty-five percent increase in his body's rate of healing since midmorning yesterday. If these numbers continue, the physical damage will be completely repaired by next Friday," she hissed urgently, a small ping announcing the elevator's arrival.

Both doctors quickly stepped in and Lien pressed pressed a button to send them one floor up. The elevator started on its way, she gestured to the two CT scans still displayed on her screen and said, "Even the bone around the gunshot wound in Ryou's head has already healed by fifty-one percent. By next Friday his skull will be completely closed" Lien explained to him as the door opened again and they stepped out into the hallway. The woman took an immediate left down a nearby corridor so that she could check on Ryou's condition with her own eyes.

As they walked, Lien added, "Ryou's back muscles are healing a couple times faster than they should be, and the muscles are knitting together well. His skin has healed over but he's still going to have a scar there," she paused when they came to Ryou's hospital room. They both stopped and showed their IDs to the policemen stationed to guard Ryou Misaki from unwanted and unauthorized visitors—namely the press and news crews that swarmed like paparazzi outside the hospital. Nodding them through, the officers stepped aside and the glass doors slid open, allowing the two doctors to enter.

Ryou Misaki had been brought back from radiology and was now back in the Intensive Care Unit. For the past few days he had been waking up in obvious delirium, not aware of his location or situation. Sometimes the nurses would be alerted by his racing heartbeat as a nightmare plagued him yet again. They were trying their hardest to make him comfortable, but there wasn't a whole lot else they could do for him. Such behavior was to be expected, but the latest developments had everyone puzzled.

As if voicing Ian's silent thoughts, Lien indicated the teenager's prone form in clear frustration. "And now he's in a coma!" she growled in exasperation. It was true that Ryou's had been basically unconscious before, but this was entirely different. This case wasn't making any sense whatsoever, and every avenue she went down only led to a dozen more questions just as mystifying as the ones she already had.

Lien rubbed her forehead for a moment and set down her pad on the small table next to Ryou's bed. "I already knew about his skull and back repairing themselves at a greater rate than normal, but his brain _should not_ be healing like this... I don't care what excuse you give me; it just shouldn't be physiologically possible," she explained. Ian nodded in agreement and opened his mouth to offer his own opinion, but Lien interrupted him.

"It seems like his body is focusing all of its energy on those two areas. Almost everything else has slowed down or come to a stop," she informed him and then nodded to the IV lines currently pumping antibiotics into his body. "On the other hand his immune system is performing better than ever, and the electrical activity along his nervous system has skyrocketed," she outlined.

Her explanations stopped as she leaned over the teenager and carefully removed and set aside the bandages protecting his head. Gently, she parted his hair and pursed her lips at what she saw. Ian moved closer to evaluate how true his colleague's words really were; the ragged wound had indeed closed, and in another day or two the stitches would probably need to be removed.

Lien felt around Ryou's head and nodded in satisfaction, "Scientists have been experimenting for the past few years with a medicine that would increase the rate at which a body naturally heals, but..." she broke off and straightened up looking around the room for something, "...but it hasn't been approved or even fully tested yet," she added, turning to search through the drawers in the small bedside stand.

Ian scratched his head in confusion, ""So what do you think is happening? There's no medical explanation for this... no _reason_ why this should be happening," he stated absently, watching as Lien frowned and turned her attention back to her patient, gingerly returning the removed bandages to their proper place.

Upon completing this task, she faced him again with a questioning tone, "So if his body is healing so well, then WHY is Ryou now in this unexplainable coma?" She looked over the teenager's vital signs as she added, "If his brain were still damaged, I could understand, but not with his brain healing at such an amazing rate…" breaking off she shook her head and carefully checked over his vital signs.

Allowing the silence to settle, Lien picked up her pad and inputted the time and other information into the device, before saying, "Ryou's neurons are reconnecting and the injured part of his brain is starting to communicate with the other areas again. By all logical means he technically should be awake by now, but..." she stopped and tucked her pad under her arm. Lien pushed away the baffling thoughts and set her jaw stubbornly.

Carefully crossing her arms she made a sudden decision. "I'm going to call that woman Rhodesia and her companion Kaoru and tell them what's going on. They _must_ know more about this than they're letting on," a deep frown dominating her expression as she voiced the thought; Ian gave his silent agreement and chose to take his leave, offering a reassuring smile in return.

"Well, let me know what you find, maybe it can help Chigusa out as well," he requested taking a few steps back. Lien nodded and tilted her head slightly as a thought struck her, "What else? I know you were looking up her family history. Did you come up with anything?" she inquired offhandedly, pushing her sleeve back so she could check the time on her watch.

Ian considered her question for a moment before giving a shrug in reply. "Sorry, Lien, but I can't really talk about it until after I discuss it with Chigusa... but I _can_ tell you that it sure was a surprise when I came across it. It may make dealing with this problem that much easier for her," he revealed rather vaguely. The woman was clearly dissatisfied with his meager explanation but let it slide as Ian thanked her for her information and left to tell Chigusa what he had found.

* * *

Rhodesia set her thumb upon the small scanner attached to the electronic lock, and watched as the light flashed green and the lock clicked open. She pushed the handle down and opened the door, letting it close quietly behind her. The apartment suite was dark, the sliding glass doors leading to the small balcony serving as the only source of light.

She could see that Kaoru had seated himself on a large footrest near the balcony doors. The small outside area had a metal railing around the edge so one's view of the cityscape was unimpeded and Kaoru was silently gazing over the skyscrapers and greater Tokyo area.

A slight sigh passed Rhodesia's lips, and she moved to stand next to her friend. She was the only person Kaoru allowed in his room, so there was no need to introduce herself. Instead, Rhodesia quietly stood behind Kaoru as the young man looked over his shoulder at her. The hikikomori nodded simply to acknowledge the woman's presence before turning away and resuming the same slouched posture.

_He's been like this every since Takumi committed suicide, _Rhodesia thought somberly, watching Kaoru as he continued staring straight ahead. She hated seeing him so upset but wasn't entirely sure it was her place to say something. After all, she hadn't really known Takumi that well—unless you counted pulling his bank records, e-mails, and other personal information.

Sliding a hand through her braids, the woman scowled to herself and tried to think of something to say. _I know they knew each other in the first version of The World and were on pretty good terms with each other...but I'm not sure if they could really be called friends_, she considered skeptically. Takumi hadn't been the type to associate with others on a personal level very often.

Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Rhodesia meditated on that last point for a moment. _It's true that they e-mailed each other a few times a month to share information, but Kaoru doesn't let many people into his personal world... Aside from myself, Ryou, and Chigusa, it's hard to tell who he really thinks of as friends,_ the woman frowned at her musings and decided to just come out and say it.

"Good friends were you?" she asked gently and Kaoru's resulting frown was thoughtful rather than disapproving and he shrugged vaguely at her inquiry. "Back in the first version of The World it wasn't unusual for us to be in a party together. He was known as Wiseman back then, and while he dealt with information and people, he pretty much kept to himself," he stated simply, although he hadn't really needed to bring that up; Rhodesia was already perfectly aware of their prior relationship.

Kaoru leaned back and put his hands on his knees. "He didn't pry or ask unnecessary questions, so I found it easy to get along with him, " he admitted so quietly his voice might as well be called a whisper. His hands tightened and his knuckles grew white with tension.. He shifted his gaze down to his lap and swallowed hard, "Takumi... Yata..." he paused suddenly as his voice wavered, "...he was the only one who contacted me when... when they took Mia," he murmured hesitantly, the strain obvious in his words. Rhodesia placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

Shaking his head, Kaoru continued, "He... let me be there when it... when it happened. There was nothing I could do for her... they would have taken her no matter what, but I... I wanted to be there..." he stopped there and grew quiet, his eyes closing as he tried to shut out the awful memories from that day. He had been there watching it all take place when the programmer Jyotaro Amagi had extracted the Phase Data from Mia and deleted her once and for all.

In The World R:1, Macha had been a strange cat-like creature who obeyed and served Morganna, but later on Macha had been data-drained and reformed into a PC body known as Mia. She then came to know and befriend Elk, the PC Kaoru had been using at that time. Mia had been Kaoru's entire world for many years. In fact, only a few months had passed since he had finally been able to put those events behind him and accept the Avatar Macha as his partner _and_ as Mia's true form. The wounds the incident had caused, however, had yet to fully heal.

Rhodesia gave her friend's shoulder a small squeeze, and Kaoru finally lifted his head at her action. He turned towards her, but avoided meeting her gaze. "I never would have known... I would probably still be looking for Mia if… if Takumi hadn't told me the truth. I wouldn't really call him my friend... but I _did _respect him and the decisions he made. Everything he did... whether right or wrong... was to make The World a better place and to keep those playing it safe," he concluded, exhaling heavily as he made that concession.

Rhodesia nodded in understanding, then remembered the reason why she had come here. "Think I do you should attend his memorial," she said considerately. Takumi had outlined very frankly in his will that he would rather be cremated then have some fancy funeral he couldn't attend anyway or be buried in a casket six feet under. So, in accordance with his wishes, Reiko had taken care of the alternative arrangements and a service would take place in his memory tomorrow afternoon.

Kaoru opened his mouth to object but Rhodesia spoke up before he could say anything negative. "Know do I that you don't want go and be reminded of what happened to Takumi. Not entirely comfortable will I be either...just feel I do that should show up to respect Takumi's efforts. No one asking you stay or speak to anyone is they?" she said in a slightly chiding tone.

If Kaoru didn't attend, then Rhodesia knew that he would regret it for the rest of his life. Even if he never showed any outward signs of it, the fact that he _hadn't_ gone would tear at him for years to come. Kaoru evidently realized this as well and clenched his jaw before sighing in consent.

Looking down at the floor, he mumbled, "Fine...but as soon as it's over, I'm leaving," Kaoru stated with obstinate resolution, but Rhodesia was grateful that she had at least convinced him do go.

Wordlessly agreeing to his terms, Rhodesia let her hand drop from his shoulder and motioned to the area behind her, "Come on. Making something to eat for you will I," she offered and Kaoru thought for a moment before standing up and following her over to the table.

* * *

Iori Nakanishi sighed in frustration and leaned over to retrieve his books from the floor. The laughter of his tormentors rang in his ears, growing fainter as they wandered off to find someone else to bully. In his mind, however, he could hear Saku's voice yelling insults and various other offenses at the group of boys who had thrown his textbooks down the hallway and slammed him against the metal lockers. Fortunately, it was his pride rather than his body that had been bruised the most.

_Yeah, just come back here and fight __**me**_ _why don't you! I bet you won't find me such an easy target you cowards!_ Saku was nearly spitting with rage, and Iori felt his right hand clench tightly in response to his big sister's intense desire to throw a few retaliatory punches of her own.

Iori's books fell from his grasp as he slapped his left hand over his arm, squeezing it tightly as he implored his sister, _Saku cut it out! People are already staring!_ His desperate objections reached Saku and she calmed down, his right arm relaxing along with her state of mind.

_Sorry,_ she apologized, not sounding entirely repentant.

It wasn't unusual for Saku to "take over" when Iori was upset or stressed out. One minute he would be on the ground and the next Saku's personality would come out literally kicking and screaming. As a result, most of the other students avoided him out of fear or unease. Those who did chose to confront him were all bullies and they merely took his antics as license to torment the "crazy boy." He had seen plenty of different of counselors and psychologists due to his parents' concerns, but all of them had said that Saku wasn't real and existed only in his head, not that Iori really needed to be told any of that He already knew that Saku wasn't _technically_ a person like he was. He was fully aware that she had developed as a means for him to cope with the stress in his life, but this knowledge was _not_ enough for him to want her to disappear.

A couple months prior, after the Sage Palace incident with Taihaku, Sakaki, and AIDA, Saku had threatened to disappear forever. While Iori had pleaded with her to stay, in the end it had been Haseo who finally convinced her not to go. That period of time, however brief, had been the worst of his entire life, and Iori could only pray that it would _never_ happen again.

The boy gave a firm nod at the thought and gathered his books once more. _Real or imagined, Saku is my big sister, and that's all there is to it. I don't care what anybody else says about it. I know I'm not crazy_, Iori resolved, grabbing his bag and stuffing his things back into it. He stood back up and carefully straightened his rumpled school uniform. Slipping the satchel over his shoulder, Iori drew a deep breath and started towards the exit

As he walked Iori could hear the voices of the other kids, whispering about him or jeering at him behind his back, and their words plagued him as he proceeded. Stomach churning, his eyes remained locked on the floor before him. Saku, of course, was quick to bolster his flagging courage.

_Don't pay those losers any attention! If anybody makes fun of you again, then I'll make sure your the last person they ever bully! After all, __**I'm**_ _the only person allowed to push you around_, she reminded him. Iori couldn't help but smile at her assurances and his body relaxed, _Thanks sis, _he said gratefully and she sniffed at that before settling down again.

Iori slipped into the crowd and made his way through the doors and down the steps into the courtyard, pausing long enough to check the time. His mother always picked him up after school and should arrive at any moment.

Iori was distracted from his thoughts when he suddenly slammed into someone and stumbled backwards, falling to the ground with a small cry uttered more from surprise than from any real pain. He looked up to see what he had run into and found a man in mirrored sunglasses and a baseball cap atop his head staring down at him.

"Sorry about that, kid. You aren't hurt, are you?" he said with an apologetic smile as Iori picked himself up off the ground and brushed himself off. The boy returned the smile and shook his head.

""No, not at all. I'm just fine," the boy replied cheerfully. His company nodded absently and cast a long, searching glance around the area. "Say, I've been looking for someone in this school. Think you could point me in the right direction?" the stranger questioned casually. Iori started to reply but was interrupted by Saku's firm presence.

_Don't you dare tell him anything! I don't know who this guy is, but he's giving me the creeps. Look, Mom's here now, so we have to go anyway,_ she demanded, not giving him any opportunity to say otherwise. Iori winced slightly from his big sister's authoritarian tone, but he conceded nonetheless.

He offered a hurried bow as an apology to the stranger and quickly maneuvered past him, making for the waiting minivan. He glimpsed over his shoulder to find that the man was still staring after him; the attention sent a chill up his spine. He stopped at the side of his mother's vehicle and pulled open the door, climbing inside and making certain that the heavy door slid securely closed behind him.

His mother turned to greet her son with a warm smile. "Hey there! How was school today?" she asked, but her words fell on deaf ears as Iori started out the window with rapt attention. Breathing heavily he scanned the school yard for the stranger, but the man had vanished just as suddenly as he had appeared.

Iori turned his attention to his mother and forced a smile to his face. "Fine, Mom. I got a B on my test today," he offered as a distraction when he noticed her growing suspicion. His mother praised his success, but Iori barely heard her congratulations.

_Who was he?_ he asked and Saku bristled restlessly at his words, _Don't know, don't care. I just know that if he comes around again, I'm calling the police so they can haul the weirdo away. Guys like that don't ask kids for help unless they've got ulterior motives. If he __**really**_ _needed something, he would have asked a teacher or the principal. He's up to no good and that's that,_ his big sister stated in a frosty tone as the car pulled away from the school.

Iori shook his head and pushed the matter aside, instead turning his thoughts to the day to come. His parents had given him permission to take the new couple of days off from school so that they could take a train down to Tokyo and attend Takumi's memorial service.

Naturally they had been hesitant at first. Neither had ever heard of Takumi and their only real knowledge of AIDA and The World came from whatever information was on the news networks, but Rhodesia had left them both speechless when she called personally to inform them of how vital their son had been to Project G.U. and how much assistance he had provided them in the game. Her call concluded with the remark of how wonderful it would be to have him attend.

Iori opened his bag and rifled through it until he managed to find the news article he had printed from the internet during his computer class. Rhodesia didn't want to put him in any unnecessary danger, so there wasn't much he could do in the way of fighting, but he had been religiously scanning different news websites for any and all signs of AIDA. Finally he had happened upon something potentially important, and he wasn't going to pass up the chance to tell Rhodesia about it in person.

* * *

Dr. Ian Evans hesitated before entering Chigusa Kusaka's hospital room. She looked up and gave a solemn nod to acknowledge him as he moved to set down his pad on the table next to her. Her temporary amnesia had dissipated and she was thinking clearly again, but the poor girl hadn't smiled or even spoken in the week that had passed since her boyfriend Ryou Misaki had led police on that intense car chase through Tokyo and Chiba right up to her front door. Her vocal cords hadn't been so severely damaged that she couldn't speak; she simply refused to do so.

Chigusa's other injuries were healing rather nicely, but she was not yet well enough to leave the hospital. The left side of her head was still heavily bruised and swathed in bandages that obscured most of her face. Her dislocated right shoulder had been reset and was easily the only part of her that was doing well. The swelling in her sprained left ankle had finally gone down, allowing her to safely put weight on it again. The broken fingers on her left hand had been set, while the rest of her hand was a cast that ended a few inches above her elbow.

A small sigh escaped her lips as Chigusa straightened up; wincing as the recently healed cuts on her back protested even that slight moment. Slowly she reached over for one of the pillows at the end of the bed, but Ian saw her intent and hurried over to spare her the effort.

"Don't worry I'll get that for you," he offered, grabbing the cushion in one hand and lifting up her right leg with the other. Carefully, Ian slipped the pillow under her broken knee to help prop Chigusa's leg up; despite the brace wrapped around her leg, it was still vital that her knee have plenty of cushioning while it healed.

"There you go... Does that feel better?" Ian implored, and Chigusa nodded slightly, her eyes lowered to avoid his gaze. The American doctor breathed a small sigh; frustrated that he still couldn't get more of a response than that out of her. He rolled a chair over and took a seat in it as he retrieved his electronic pad and set it in his lap. The files he had come to show her were displayed on the screen, but he was reluctant to bring up what he had found.

"Why do you come here so often?" The soft, raspy voice nearly slipped his notice, and it took a moment for Ian to realize he had been asked a question. He turned his eyes to the source of the feeble sound and saw Chigusa watching him curiously. The surprise from the fact that she had actually spoken was so great that it took another couple of seconds before he could formulate a proper answer.

"Oh, right! I suppose I should have said something earlier. Having me come around all the time to keep you company must be a little creepy, hunh?" he said with an apologetic chuckle, realizing how inconsiderate he had been. A slight blush tinted Chigusa's cheeks, and she looked away with an embarrassed expression.

Ian cleared his throat and gave a helpless shrug. Leaning back in his chair he explained, "I won't bore you with all the details, but years ago, my wife and I divorced and she received full custody of our three children. She always _was_ a spiteful woman and refused to let me have any contact whatsoever. So, to this day, I still don't know where any of them are… and you…" a heavy sigh punctuated Ian's words, "…you're about the age my youngest daughter would be right now. That's all," he stated, not bothering to mask the sad and bitter feelings from his voice.

Chigusa shifting posture clearly said, "I wish I hadn't asked." Ian noticed her uncomfortable fidgeting and smiled reassuringly at her, "I know it has nothing to do with you, but when I heard about your situation, I just couldn't help thinking of all my kids and wondering what they might be doing right now. Besides, I've always taken a special interest in kids and teenagers anyway. Still, if it bothers you I can stop… Lord knows a doctor can always find more work to do." Chigusa's lips pulled up slightly and she shook her head in denial.

"No... I don't mind... now that I know," Chigusa responded as her good eye shifted down to the electronic pad in his lap, subtly asking if he had another reason for being here. Ian caught her hint and found the proper information page. He took a deep breath before speaking, "I was looking into your medical records to see if there were any preexisting conditions I needed to consider, and I found something that I'm not sure if you're aware of," he informed, flipping the pad around and handing it to her.

Chigusa accepted the device and placed it in her lap, adjusting it slightly to better view the screen. Scarcely a moment passed before her visible eye widened in shock and she drew a sharp breath. Her gaze shot up to meet her doctor's, silently asking him if what she was seeing was really true.

Ian scratched his head and nodded awkwardly to answer her voiceless inquiry. "I...uh...guess your parents never told you did they?" he gently assumed and Chigusa shook her head slowly, looking back down at the information in before her.

The young woman opened her mouth, but quickly shut it again, words failing her as the realization that she had been lied to for her entire life hit her full force. She closed her eye for a moment, trying to process everything, before opening it again and continuing to stare at the computer screen.

When Chigusa finally did find the right words her voice was a strained tangle of confusion, relief, hope, pain, and disappointment as she uttered two words that she _never_ would have imagined herself saying.

"I'm... adopted?"

* * *

**AN: **So how is that for an ending? Didn't see that one coming I'll bet, but I couldn't just saddle Chigusa with such awful and horrible parents like that. I mean her father, Ikari, took a knife to her and Ryou both and her mother left/abandoned her.

So, yes, Chigusa is adopted. I'm sure there are other wheels and suspicion's rolling around in your heads after reading through that last part...and your probably right too. So feel free to ask me any and all questions that come to mind okay?

And who was that guy Iori/Bo ran into? Hmm, rather suspicious don't you think? He _just_ might be a certain _someone _the G.U. members have been looking for....(cough cough hint hint)

In other news I have taken down the current poll and have put up a popularity poll featuring all of the major characters. It will be up for a while and the Avatars are on the list as well, so you can vote on which one of those you like best too. You can make more than one choice and I'll have the results later on whenever I do finally decide to set a date to close it. So go to my profile and vote on which character you like best!

Now I won't bore you with more details but the next chapter will be up soon, I promise! So please go down and press that lovely green/gray button and send a review! They feed my creative juices. ^_^


	29. Awake

**AN:** I'm back again and better than ever! I was feeling a little depressed but your reviews have really bolstered my spirits! A short bout of writers block has kept me from updating sooner but now I feel energized and ready to churn out more .hack goodness for you all!

Meanwhile, a kind reviewer by the name of Youko-Kuramas-Kitsune made a rather innocent suggestion that snapped me out of my little funk and here it is: "but what would be really cool is if you had some characters from the original .hack (Like Kite, Blackrose and Balmung etc.) help Haseo and his friends in the real world with the game problems. Just thinking. KITE ROCKS!"

My first reaction was "No. I already have things planned out just fine," but in the very next moment I figure what the heck? It wouldn't hurt anything right? So true to my nature I changed the story (again) to fit in one of my random and/or spontaneous ideas. It really is a miracle I manage to have as few plot holes as I do considering that not once have I written anything down on paper; everything is floating up in my head. My ideas change so quickly that I tried keeping notes but through the paper out after 3 days. ^_^

So long story short Kite, BlackRose, Balmung, maybe Orca, and possibly a couple others will be a part of this story from now on. So please enjoy this new development and thank you Youko-Kuramas-Kitsune for your review!

Finally, don't forget to check out the new popularity poll on my profile, the .hack characters and their Avatars need your votes! So I won't keep you waiting any longer, now without further ado here it is!

Timeline Update: Saturday, November 30th

Chapter 29: Awake

* * *

"You okay?" Rhodesia whispered, and Kaoru looked up to find his friend watching him with an expression of obvious concern. They were at the funeral home where Takumi's memorial had just been held, and Rhodesia could see that Kaoru was becoming more and more stressed out as time passed. The service was over but she had one or two people she needed to talk to before they left.

Kaoru grimaced and tugged at the collar of his white, perfectly-ironed shirt. Even though he had taken the effort of putting on his only suit and finding a proper pair of shoes, the strange clothing served only to make him feel more uneasy, and the stupid tie was just about choking him to death. No amount of adjustment could get the stupid thing to rest more comfortably around his neck. Thankfully the service was over, so Kaoru could get out of here and be alone again once Rhodesia was finished talking.

The young man's lips twitched slightly, and his fingers tightened until his knuckles were white from the tension. Swallowing hard Kaoru took a shaky breath before answering, "There are...too many people here..." he managed to get out as he watched the crowd of people milling around the room. It was hard to breathe, and his palms were sweating like crazy. He couldn't sit still and every noise made him flinch or cringe. Kaoru was starting to panic, and knew that he couldn't force himself to stay calm for much longer.

Rhodesia nodded sympathetically and squeezed his shoulder, understanding exactly what he meant. "Sorry, have talk to Iori and then be ready I will. Waiting for me in the vehicle better for you maybe," she suggested and Kaoru nodded before letting his gaze fall from hers. He didn't want to be here, and he _definitely _didn't want to deal with so many people.

Not even the fact that he knew several of the people here could make Kaoru feel any better. Several of the famous .hackers had come in person to pay their final respects; Kite, BlackRose, Mistral, Balmung, Orca, Natsume, and even Gardenia were here and were milling around near the back of the seating area. Macha had sent Kaoru a text message listing all of their real names, but he hadn't been paying much attention. He remembered that Kite's real name was Sentou something-or-other and that BlackRose's name was Akira Hayami, but that was about it. Besides, he doubted anyone would recognize him anyway.

By the end of 2012, most of the .hackers had left The World so that they could all get on with their lives. Kaoru, though, had continued playing as Elk until R1 had gone out of service due to the massive loss of data that occurred after the failure of the first Project G.U. Epitaph User experiments. Natsume and Piros had also stayed with the first version of The World and had signed up immediately when the R2 was released. However, most of the others had not returned so it was strange to see them all in one place again.

_In fact, I still remember the last time we all met in person...Even Helba herself deigned to come and see us, _Kaoru considered as he looked back over his shoulder to watch his old friends talking with each other. He stared at them for a moment before turning away and fixing his gaze on his hands. Under any other circumstances he really would have been happy to see Sentou and Akira, but today Kaoru was notin a good mood and anything or anyone that reminded him of either Takumi or R1 was guaranteed to be met with outright hostility and anger.

At 20 years old, Sentou had come a long way from the innocent preteen he had once been. Sentou had left behind his Kite PC and gone on to win a soccer scholarship, hoping that one day he would be able to join British soccer team Nissan FC. He was currently enrolled at Kanazawa University and going for a degree in computer engineering. Akira, on the other hand, was now 22 years of age and had already finished her schooling; at the moment, she was practicing as hard as possible to become a professional tennis player.

It seemed like everyone had moved on with their lives and left The World behind. That thought only made Kaoru feel even angrier than before. For the past 7 years or so, Takumi had slaved away trying to keep The World in perfect balance. He had run himself to the brink of exhaustion trying to keep the players safe from AIDA and the wandering AI's protected from CC Corp's debugging teams. Now Aihane had captured Corbenik _and_ Fidchell, AIDA had reappeared and was in even more trouble than the Avatars, The World was tearing apart at the seams, and the real world was starting to notice more and more as the problems and bugs began to affect even everyday life.

_And what did he ever get for it? Criticism and disrespect. Takumi wasn't appreciated for even a quarter of the things he did, _Kaoru reflected cynically as he thought about how few of the original .hackers had bothered to stick around. Other than Takumi and himself, only Balmung, Helba, Natsume, and Piros had stuck with the game, and of those few, only the first two had taken it upon themselves to actively keep The World safe.

Kaoru knew that it was unreasonable to expect Sentou and Akira to continue playing as Kite and BlackRose when they had their entire lives ahead of them, but at the same time he wouldn't deny that his close bond with them had slowly but surely melted into resentment and bitterness. Seeing them again today was dredging up feelings that Kaoru thought he had already put behind him.

"Elk is that you?"

Forced from his thoughts, Kaoru looked up and saw Sentou atching him apprehensively. With a hesitant smile, Sentou fidgeted and glanced over at Akira, who rolled her eyes and leaned forward with a smile on her face, "Come on, I would know that face no matter how many years went by! It has to be..." She paused for a moment before coming up with the name, "Kaoru right?" The addressed gritted his teeth and nodded slowly in response, wishing more than anything that they would just **go away**.

Relaxing at that admission Sentou smiled as well. "Wow, it's really been a while, hasn't it? How have you been?" he asked. It was as if nothing at all had happened since their last meeting several years ago.

Kaoru clenched his fists as his head snapped up. He offered no response, but instead fixed them with a cold stare. Sentou immediately jerked away, taking a cautious step back as he saw the furious expression on the face of the man he considered a friend. Glancing between Sentou and Akira, the Epitaph User made his anger towards them evident. "What do _you_ want?" Kaoru demanded with obvious bitterness.

Surprised by the response, Sentou frowned in confusion; "Come on its us...Kite and BlackRose...don't you remember?" he asked hesitantly, not understanding why he was getting the cold shoulder from a guy he was certain was his friend.

With a look bordering on disgust, Kaoru interrupted before Akira could comment. "Of course I remember you...but apparently the feeling wasn't mutual," he shot back in reply.

Caught off-guard by Kaoru's animosity, Akira regained her composure, and her shocked expression became a scowl as she put her hands on her hips. "What's your _problem_? I thought we were your friends, so why are you so angry with us?" she demanded curtly, inwardly wondering what had happened to the shy, soft spoken teenager she had once known.

Kaoru stood up so quickly that Sentou was forced to step backwards and he leaned away, unsure of what to expect. Kaoru fists tightened, and he looked back and forth between the two .hackers before dismissing them. "You don't know have any _idea_ of what we've all been through, much less what Takumi went through...so just shut up and leave me alone," he snarled at them, and Akira bristled indignantly at those words.

By now the other attendees had started to notice the dispute and were turning to stare at the trio as they argued. The extra attention made Kaoru shiver with anxiety and he swallowed hard, opening and closing his hands in a desperate effort to control their violent shaking. His breathing was ragged, and no matter how deeply he inhaled Kaoru could not seem to catch his breath.

The room seemed to tilt beneath his feet and Kaoru closed his eyes for a moment until the wave of dizziness passed. Violently he pushed Sentou so hard the young man nearly fell over and had to grab wildly at the seat on the end of the row to keep from falling. Kaoru brushed past them, intending to leave them there without another word, but Akira grabbed his arm tightly to keep him from escaping.

"Hey! That's not fair! Back then we worked just as hard to protect The World as you did, so how can you turn around like that and say we don't understand?" Akira fired back at him. Kaoru stopped and turned around sharply, pausing to brush the sweat off his forehead as he swallowed again, feeling hot and closed in. Trying his best to ignore the discomfort and rising panic he felt, Kaoru shook his head in disgust before laying into them.

With unusual fierceness Kaoru rounded on them. "Sure you protected The World then...but what about afterwards?" he fired off and Akira blinked in surprise before crossing her arms defiantly.

"We had our normal lives to get back to, that's what happened! Did you expect us to stick around and give up everything else just to watch over The World?Everything was safe, Morganna was gone, Aura was in charge and w_e weren't needed anymore_!" she emphasized. Kaoru knew that she was right, but he still wasn't going to back down.

Narrowing his eyes Kaoru added, "What about _after_ Aura disappeared? Where were you...." he said softly, "...when they took Mia from me and _killed _her?" he spat out. Sentou's eyes widened with surprise, an expression which was quickly overcome by guilt. Shifting his feet uneasily, he cast his gaze away from Kaoru's accusing one as the hikikomori continued. "I tried to contact you and got no answer, I called you but no one ever picked up the phone, I _needed_ you..." he confessed, "..but neither one of you were there for me," Kaoru's body was stiff with frustration and pain.

Now both young adults looked guilty and extremely uncomfortable, but Kaoru had bottled up his emotions on this matter for far too long and was not going to let them off the hook now, "Then The World crashed and I was finally left by myself, but when it started up again I _waited_ for you to come back. After that, AIDA started showing up and started putting players into comas again and lastly Cubia nearly sent the real world into a Third Network Crisis." Kaoru's appraising look was harsh and unforgiving as he spoke.

Taking another shaky breath Kaoru added, "There's no way you couldn't have seen and realized _exactly _what was going on." He remembered all to well the deep depression he had slipped into after Mia's deletion and how the absence of his friends had only driven him farther into seclusion. Wincing slightly, he rubbed his temple to ease the throbbing pain overcoming his thoughts.

Clearing her throat, Akira tried to smooth things over. "It's true we saw what was going on, but what could we do about it? We weren't Aura's defenders anymore, we were just ordinary people again, there's nothing we could have done," she reasoned objectively, not denying what he had said, but not enforcing her point of view on him either.

Grabbing the nearest seat for support, Kaoru shook his head and immediately wished he hadn't; his head was _killing_ him, his heart was pounding in his chest, and he just couldn't seem to catch his breath. Sentou noticed his apparent and mounting panic and stepped forward to try and help, but Kaoru shoved him away again.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could make out a crowd watching them and Rhodesia pushing through as she made her way down to him. Kaoru, though, was hardly finished. "That's not the problem. The problem is that you didn't even try. You didn't come back to The World to see if _maybe_ there was something you could do...you didn't even contact me to see if I was okay...You just abandoned The World...and me along with it," he spat, turning away so they wouldn't see the turmoil marring his face.

Akira shook her head, "Kaoru...you _know_ we wouldn't just abandon you like that," she offered as reassurance and Sentou nodded in agreement.

"She's right...and if what we did caused you to feel that way, then it certainly wasn't on purpose," he added and then frowned to himself. "I mean... Well, that didn't exactly come out right, but you know what I mean don't you? And..." Sentou began but then stopped and frowned at him. "Hey, are you alright? You don't look so good..." he commented, taking note of Kaoru's pale and sweaty face as well as his noticeable trembling.

Sentou reached out once again to try and help, but Kaoru's body tensed the moment he felt the hand on his shoulder. Full blown panic washed over him, and Kaoru shook off Sentou's hand and backed up so abruptly that he nearly knocked over a man standing behind him.

His pulse was racing, and he could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest. Kaoru opened his mouth but couldn't talk or even breathe; the room spun around him, and he winced as he tried to regain his balance. Closing his eyes, Kaoru shivered again and opened his eyes to find everyone staring at him with a mixture of worry and apprehension.

He felt a gentle hand on his arm and jumped in surprise, turning to see Rhodesia standing there next to him in obvious distress. "Come on, we need get you out of here right now," she told him, her words coming across as an appeal rather then a command. Kaoru merely nodded, and Rhodesia gave a curt nod to Sentou and Akira before pulling him away down a nearby hallway and out the side door. The sun was shining and the air was breezy, offering much needed relief after being crowded inside with all those people.

"Kaoru? Kaoru calm down, you're fine now!" Rhodesia reassured as she guided him over to a column so he could lean against it. Placing a hand against the cool stone, Kaoru finally managed to take another breath and then another until his lungs were no longer burning, but he was still hyperventilating and couldn't stop his hands from shaking. There were still a few people milling around the parking lot, and every time someone glanced over at them, Kaoru felt his panic surge higher. He couldn't help but shiver again as his shoulders tensed with anxiety.

Swallowing hard he closed his eyes in a vain effort to calm himself down but was distracted when Rhodesia suddenly rested her hands on his face. Kaoru opened his eyes to find himself staring at her worried but still composed expression. Her eyes softened as she forced him to look at her, "Do you want to leave or stay here?" the woman gently inquired, and he let out a shaky breath.

Finally Kaoru managed to find his voice and slowly shook his head. "Home...I want...I _need_ to go home...There...There are too many people here... Too many people watching me..." he choked out desperately, and Rhodesia nodded in sympathy as she brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. He was sweating like crazy and his face and shirt were already soaked.

Sliding her hands down, Rhodesia loosened and then undid his tie to help him breathe a little better. "Okay, car is coming now and going to go straight home we are," she promised as the black vehicle pulled around the corner and under the carport. When it stopped next to them, she opened the door and helped Kaoru stumble inside before sliding in next to him. The door locked automatically as Rhodesia reached over and slammed it shut.

Turning back to Kaoru, Rhodesia shifted closer to her friend as he bent over and took slow, deep breaths. She rested her hand on his back and could feel his body shaking as Kaoru put his head in his hands. _He's having a full blown panic attack,_ the woman realized as she gently began rubbing his back to help alleviate his distress. _I never should have asked him to come here. Being around strangers is one thing...but seeing all of his old friends and party members from R1 in one place like this was just too much for him to handle right now, _Rhodesia considered, feeling immensely guilty for putting him through this. Sure Kaoru had agreed to come of his own free will, but she if she hadn't insisted on him being here, this never would have happened.

Frowning slightly, Rhodesia thought back to that argument he'd had withSentou and Akira. Never before had she seen him so angry. It was true that Kaoru had gotten upset during the Demon Palace title match against Haseo, but that was nothing compared to his outburst inside the funeral home. The G.U. leader didn't know whether she should be worried that he had bottled those feelings up for so long or proud that he had been willing to stand up for himself.

Kaoru sighed heavily as his shoulders relaxed; he lifted his head and ran a hand through his wet, sweaty hair. "Did you know...about Sentou and Akira?" he asked with a sharp edge to his voice. Hearing such a tone, Rhodesia's comforting massage paused for a moment before she continued, adding a little more pressure as she kneaded his back.

"If referring you are to relationship with you after they leave The World, no... If mean them coming here to memorial than I not know about that either. Said they both did that wouldn't be able to come. Just as surprised as anyone else when saw them show up here," Rhodesia explained, and Kaoru thought about that for a moment before nodding in acceptance and closing his eyes. Apparently he was satisfied by the response and left it at that.

He was gradually beginning to calm down and they rode the rest of the way back to the building/apartment complex in silence. The driver cut the vehicle to the right and pulled into the underground parking lot, driving up and down the rows until they came to the elevator doors set in the concrete wall. The vehicle rolled to a stop and Rhodesia quickly stepped out to make a path for Kaoru, who rubbed his head as he followed. Clearly he had a headache, but it seemed like his other symptoms were finally fading.

They entered the elevator and Rhodesia pushed the button that would take them up to the right apartment level. Still the woman couldn't help but occasionally glance over at her friend to make sure that he wasn't going to faint on her. Kaoru caught her watching him and turned to face her. "I'm fine... just... a little tired," Kaoru said reassuringly. Surprised that he had noticed her attention, Rhodesia flushed with embarrassment.

The elevator came to a smooth stop and the doors slid open. They stepped out and walked down the hallway in silence until they came to Kaoru's residence. He placed his finger on the pad and the lock clicked open. Swinging the door open, Kaoru walked in with Rhodesia on his heels, closing the door behind her as the hikikomori made his way to the kitchen table and collapsed into a chair, clearly exhausted. Kaoru rested his arms on the table and put his head down on top of them, closing his eyes as he relished the feeling of being back "home" and away from people.

Unsure of what to do, Rhodesia stood there for a moment before walking over to where her friend was sitting. A a couple seconds went by, and Kaoru cracked one eye open to addressed her. "Since you so obviously feel guilty about this whole fiasco you might as well do something useful," he chided her before closing his eye again. "...My shoulders are feeling rather tight at the moment, you know," he calmly suggested, and Rhodesia rolled her eyes before complying with his "order."

Kaoru sighed as she gently but firmly began to massage his neck and shoulders. He wasn't really angry with her—a little irritated maybe, but not angry. Rhodesia was just trying to help him in the best way she knew how. Besides, she was one of the few people other than Haseo and Atoli who were making an _active_ effort to be his friend.

Abruptly Kaoru spoke up again to voice his current thoughts, "I don't..." He paused and shook his head. "I don't want to see them or talk to them...not now..." he told her, and Rhodesia hummed thoughtfully as she continued to give him a massage.

"Okay," was her simple and affirmative response. If Kaoru didn't want to speak to Sentou and Akira, then she certainly wasn't going to force him. This was one area Rhodesia knew she had better leave well enough alone.

* * *

Kitade Misaki had just rounded the corner when she noticed that something was wrong. Dr. Lien Mei, Ryou's physician, was standing outside of her son's hospital room waving angrily at the policemen who were supposed to be on guard. Both men rubbed at their heads as though in pain as they spoke to Lien Mei.

Quickly Kitade hurried over and looked into the room to find Ryou's bed empty. Something else seemed off, but she didn't realize what it was until the crunch of glass made her stop and look down. Small shards were scattered all over the floor as if the glass wall and doors making up the entrance had suddenly burst apart.

_What happened here? Where's Ryou? _Kitade worried nervously as she looked across the hallway to find the women at the nurses' station just now lifting their heads and looking around in confusion. Something unusual had clearly happened here in just the past few minutes. Concerned more for her son's safety than anything else, Kitade turned to Dr. Lien Mei, who had yet to notice the other woman's presence.

Lien Mei crossed her arms as she addressed the two particular police members who had been guarding Ryou's hospital room for the past couple of hours. Raising her voice, the doctor demanded, "He wasn't even _awake _an hour ago! How can he suddenly be missing now? What happened here?" She only barely restrained her anger as she waved an arm around to indicate the shattered glass and dazed hospital personnel.

One of the guards shook his head wearily, "I'm not entirely sure ma'am. The alarm came on to let us know the boy was awake and I looked in to see Ryou sitting up in his bed and then...." He paused for a moment to brush small bits of glass out of his hair before continuing, "...Well, then the glass started cracking, and I remember hearing a high-pitched noise before blacking out." The other officer nodded to affirm the explanation.

Sighing in frustration, Lien opened her mouth to say something but then noticed Kitade standing there listening to the conversation. Kitade could see the "uh oh" expression that immediately claimed the doctor's face before Lien Mei drew herself up and placed a calmly. "Hello, Mrs. Misaki. As you can see we have a bit of a problem," Dr. Mei announced carefully and Kitade fought back the urge to demand more answers. Clearly they didn't have a very clear picture of what was going on and could offer little clarification.

Lien Mei cleared her throat and motioned towards Ryou's empty hospital bed. "I'm sure you've heard that your son is awake and is still in the hospital somewhere... Unfortunately, things have happened rather quickly, and we aren't yet quite sure where he might have gone," she said informatively, and Kitade nodded to show she was listening; that much, however, wasn't enough to quell her fears.

Taking a deep breath, Kitade managed to speak in a level voice, "I know you called us yesterday to let us know his condition had changed and that his body was healing at a much faster rate...but you also added that he still shouldn't wake up for _at least_ another couple of days," She was unable to keep an accusing tone from her voice as she spoke.

Lien Mei swallowed hard and shifted her eyes away as she fidgeted with her white doctor's coat. When she finally replied, it was in slow, almost cautious tones. "Yes... I _did_ tell you that yesterday, and while things have changed dramatically since then, rest assured that I am doing everything I can to figure out what's going on," Dr. Mei said tactfully to avoid being subjected to the mother's wrath.

Kitade frowned and pursed her lips before pushing aside her confusion; at the moment, they needed to focus on finding her son. They could worry later on about what had taken place here. The desire to blame someone or something for this incident was at the very top of her list, but Kitade knew that doing so wouldn't get her son back to her any sooner. IInstead, she took a deep breath to calm herself and tried to imagine to what places he might have gone. Only one came to mind.

"What about that girl? Chigusa Kusaka?" Kitade questioned, knowing that the injured young woman was supposedly Ryou's girlfriend. Ryou hadn't actually mentioned Chigusa to her, but that wasn't too surprising when his reserved, often hostile personality was taken into account.

Lien Mei considered that for a moment before turning to the nurses' station. "Get someone to clean this up right away and call that woman Rhodesia Kajongwe to let her know what's happened," she told them before addressing the police, "Start searching this floor just in case Ryou is still up here." She turned back to find the beginnings of a frown on Kitade's face in response to the name. Lien dipped her head in apology. "There are various... legal conditions by which we must abide," she offered, sidestepping the issue as she carefully picked her way over the broken glass and headed down a side hallway.

"Chigusa Kusaka is healing almost as quickly as Ryou so she has been moved to a room one floor below us," Dr. Mei said as they quickly strode through the corridor and came to a couple of elevators. One was just closing, and they managed to catch the door and step in before it left. Moments later, they arrived and stepped back out of the lift. Lien Mei quickly sidled around a wheelchair-bound patient as she guided Kitade to the proper hospital room.

Lien kept her eyes on the room numbers as they hurried down the hallway. When the doctor spotted the correct room number, she slowed down and hesitated for a moment before glancing inside the room. Drawing a surprised breath, Lien Mei looked over her shoulder and nodded slowly before stepping aside to let Kitade enter. With a forced but still grateful smile, Kitade stepped around the woman and placed a hand on the door.

Peering into the room she saw Ryou standing there next to the hospital bed and staring down at Chigusa. The teenage girl was sleeping peacefully underneath Ryou's unwavering stare; the heavy pain medications Chigusa was given had more or less sedated her for the time being.

Chigusa's neck and the left side of her face were still wrapped in bandages, and Kitade watched as her son slowly reached out to touch the teenager girl's face, his fingers brushing against her cheek with apparent fascination. "It looks fine... Okay, better than before at least... Her eye and vision will be fine... Y_ou_ asked _me_ so don't get upset when I give you my answer," Ryou mumbled to himself as he spoke, paused, and then answered as though he were having a conversation.

The first thing Kitade noticed was that her son's voice was a lot deeper than it should be and had a raspy quality to it. When he spoke Ryou slurred his words and syllables slightly, but Kitade passed that off on him having not spoken in nearly a week. Currently, his attention was focused entirely on Chigusa, yet his actual expression was completely blank. Ryou _must _have recognized his girlfriend, but his face certainly didn't show it.

Kitade was distracted when Lien Mei stepped in the room beside her. The doctor took a breath but remained silent as she watched the young man's behavior. Ryou grunted and frowned again as he continued his apparent conversation.

"Of course Chigusa is sleeping... Have you looked up the descriptions? Those pain medications are stronger than people think... Then don't ask me questions you already know the answers to!" the teenager snarled, pausing to rub his bandaged head before leaning back over the hospital bed. Ryou wavered slightly, and he placed his hand on the metal bed railing for support until he regained his balance. After a moment, the young man's gaze slid down to Chigusa's arm, and he lifted it gently, throughly examining the cast before moving down to her splinted fingers. Ryou narrowed his eyes and carefully placed her arm back down across her stomach.

For several more seconds Ryou stood there in silence as he stared down at Chigusa, who remained blissfully unaware of anything going on around her. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Ryou lifted his head and turned partially to look back at Kitade and Lien Mei.

Kitade's body automatically tensed as Ryou stared at them, his red eyes narrowing slightly as he winced and shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. A distinct shiver crawled up her spine as Ryou shifted his gaze from Lien Mei to her. _This is silly... He's my son, there's no reason for me to act this way, _she thought shaking her head.

Kitade could see her son standing there right in front of her, wide awake, talking, and walking around on his own, but something still seemed...off. _Why does this feel so wrong? _she wondered, feeling distinctly uneasy as he scratched his head calmly. Finally, Kitade's motherly instincts won out over her common sense and she closed the few steps separating her from her son and embraced him tightly.

Ryou's body stiffened at her touch, but Kitade ignored that action as tears formed in her eyes. "You're okay... Oh, Ryou you're really okay now," she whispered to him before pulling back. Gently she took his head in her hands and lightly touched the bandages around her son's head. The hair on the left side of Ryou's head had been shaved away so that his bullet wound could be cared for properly.

The look on her son's face, though, kept Kitade from asking anything else; Ryou was staring at her as if he had never seen her before. "What's wrong? It's me... your mother... Don't you recognize me?" she asked as her worry overcame her. What kind of brain damage did he have? Was his memory affected? The fact that he had been talking to himself earlier was equally concerning.

His face twisted into an expression somewhere between irritation and disgust. "I would think that you of all people would be able to tell the difference," Ryou stated flately and Kitade gasped and jerked her hands back as if they were on fire. Lien Mei stepped forward to intervene, her hand reaching for her cell phone in case she needed to call security for help.

Narrowing her eyes, Lien Mei spoke up, "Who are you? What's your name?" the doctor demanded firmly as Ryou took note of her unease.

Ryou's lips split into an arrogant grin, and he rolled his neck to ease its stiffness before replying. "Why so defensive? I'm just a poor, injured teenager after all, so there's no need to get so worked up, right?" he responded with feigned indifference. Kitade backed away from him, remembering what Rhodesia had told her several days ago when they were first driving to the Chiba Hospital.

_Rhodesia said that Ryou had been chosen by an AI named Skeith but... No, there's just no way, _Kitade shook her head slowly as she continued backing away from her son. As a mother, it had been her first reaction to deny the message her brain was now screaming at her. A message that was saying all too clearly that this person in front of her was** not** her son.

* * *

**AN: **Sorry for taking so long to update, but my muses abandoned me and went on vacation. Thankfully they're all back now and between College life and job prospects I am managing to whip them back into shape!

Also I've been distracted by Twitter lately....I discovered that my newest obsession, a German band by the name of Cinema Bizarre was using the site and now I'm completely hooked. I never really understood the Twitter craze before but I certainly do now! They along with Tokio Hotel are my latest and most prominent obsessions, I just can't seem to get enough. ^_^

But I won't bore you with further comments and dissertations. Thank you for reading and I'll have the next chapter up soon. Number 30 is right around the corner, can you believe it? O_O


	30. Can't See The Forest For The Trees

**AN:** CHAPTER 30! Oh, my gosh! I can't believe I've made it this far! Thirty chapters now and this story is still going strong! How far will it go? How many chapters will we attain? O_O

Well, frankly I don't really know yet..I'm still trying to decide at what point I want to end this and, yes, move on to the sequel. So before you panic on me, YES, there will indeed be a sequel to this story if only to keep this thing from growing to rediculous proportions. I don't expect to get much past 50 chapters if that, but when you get up to 60, 70, and 80 its time to cut things short and start up a sequel don't you think?

Also let me add that this first section with Shino might seem boring to you all, but trust me when I say that it drops a few hints as to what is going to be happening soon in their little corner of Japan.

So, anyway, I thank you all for sticking with me since geez, was it really October 2007 that I started this? Its seems so long ago...ahh, such good memories. Seeing people from all over the world (literally) reading my story and telling me how good it is brings a tear to my eyes, but I won't start crying tears of joy on you because we have a chapter to cover here! Again much thanks for all your support and lets move on towards the future!

(bows deeply and then does her happy dance)

**NOTE: **My beta reader is a little busy at the moment so whenever they get back to me this chapter will be reposted. I know some people have been begging me for more and I didn't want to make any of you wait any longer.

Timeline Update: Sunday, December 1st.

Chapter 30: Can't See the Forest for the Trees

* * *

Shino gritted her teeth as she fought to keep Mera from attacking the other animals. Together she and Nareo had come into town so the dogs could get their shots and the sweet tempered canine who had been sleeping at the foot of her bed for the past month or so had transformed into a bona fide demon.

_Why did I ever think that Mera wouldn't be any trouble? Boy was __**that**__ a misconception, _Shinogrunted and tightened her grip on the rottweiler's chain as the animal bared her fangs and lunged at a lady and her cat who were sitting just a few seats away. The other woman pulled the feline closer and wisely moved father away to avoid trouble.

Nareo pursed her lips as Shino firmly reprimanded Mera who sniffed angrily but sat down and stayed in place anyway. The housekeeper shook her head and waved her hand towards the dogs. "These two were born, bred, and trained for the sole purpose of guarding or protecting someone. Mera may be all sweet and cuddly with you, but she'll tear the throat out of anyone who so much as looks at you crossway's," Nareo she warned as Mera turned and glared at a man who had glanced over towards Shino.

Sighing heavily to herself, Shino checked Mera's leather muzzle yet again to make sure it hadn't come loose. The last thing she needed was for the guard dog to savage someones beloved pet.

Leaning forward, Shino chided the rottweiler in as severe a voice as she could manage. "Calm down would you? No one is going to bother me, so why can't you settle down and be more like your brother?" her chastisement fell on deaf ears as Mera rumbled deep in her throat at a small chihuahua who shivered and darted back to its owner. Raiden for his part was sitting there quietly, a false sense of calm surrounding him as he scanned the area for anything that might threaten his handlers. He was still alert, but not lunging this way and that like his sister was.

Finally the veterinarian called them and Nareo took Raiden and headed into the room first, leaving Shino to fend for herself. With a small whine Mera looked back over her shoulder with an appeal in her brown eyes. Unmoved Shino immediately frowned, "No way! I let you go and you'll attack the first person or thing that darts in front of you," she muttered angrily. The rottweiler sniffed and looked away as her ploy failed to gain the desired results.

Suddenly a chill went up Shino's spine and she shivered uneasily—it felt like someone was watching her. Looking around she twisted in her seat and glanced outside but failed to see anyone suspicous. Mera sensed Shino's unease and immediately shot to attention, snarling fiercely as she turned this way and that, trying to figure out who it was that dared to threaten her master. Quickly Shino reassured her and the rottweiler grudgingly settled down again, glaring more fiercely than ever at anyone who came within her designated "attack range."

When the veterinarian called them in Shino was only too grateful for the call. Still she had to half-drag Mera into the room as the dog was bound and determined to sink her teeth into a man who had accidentally bumped into Shino as she was standing up. Eventually she managed to wrestle Mera's attention away and succeeded in getting her to stand still until the vet was finished giving her the necessary shots.

Nareo saw Shino struggling and rolled her eyes in a gesture of long-suffering and patience. Handing over Raiden's leash the housekeeper pointed towards the exit."You take them two outside while I pay the receptionist," Nareo and Shino nodded and whistled a sharp command. Both dogs obediently followed closely at her heels as she headed out into the parking lot. Shino was about halfway to the car when a call stopped her.

"Hey miss! Excuse me!"

Turning around Shino saw a man with a rumbled t-shirt and jeans trying to get her attention. He was holding a couple leashes attached to the collars of four massive doberman pinchers. Shino tightened her grip on the two leashes in her own hand as she felt the same uneasy chill as before when she had been inside the building. Swallowing hard she frowned and remained silent as he looked around the parking lot. The stranger didn't _seem _dangerous and was probably just out for a walk with his pets, but with everything that had been going on Shino wasn't going to take any chances.

Stopping a few feet in front of her the stranger smiled harmlessly and motioned toward the street. "I was just trying to find the nearest grocery store. Can you help point me in the right direction?" he asked simply. Shino pursed her lips as she tried to figure just what it was about this guy that was making her so nervous. More than anything she wanted to jump in the car and lock the door.

_I've gotten this far by trusting my instincts. I'm certainly not going to stop now, _she thought warily as she leaned away slightly. Instead of answering she put her hand on the back of Mera's neck and squeezed it ever so slightly in the "defend" command. Immediately Mera lowered her head and started growling despite her leather muzzle. Raiden followed suit and moved in front of her, using his body to push Shino back behind him as he bared his fangs in warning.

The stranger's dobermans began rumbling and snarling in return and Shino mumbled a quick apology and hurried past him to the car, feeling even more unsettled than before as she turned her back to him. Even Raiden and Mera kept looking over their shoulders and when Shino unlocked the car and opened the door, they milled around and continued to growl at the strange man who had merely continued on his way and was now asking someone else for help.

Crouching down beside the dogs, Shino praised them both for following her commands the way they had. Rubbing Mera's ears, she tried to figure out what it was that seemed so wrong here. "What is it? Is there something about that guy that you don't like?" Shino asked as she stole a quick glance back over at the stranger. Following her gaze, Raiden bared his teeth and Mera's body tensed immediately. Frowning at that Shino took a deep breath to calm herself down.

_It seems like I've been jumping at every shadow I see lately, _Shino considered as she finally managed to urge the dogs into the backseat of the car. _Then again what if that hacker Rhodesia and Haseo mentioned is really watching us? _Shino closed the door and looked back to see Nareo finally coming out of the building. With a sigh of immense relief the young woman slid in behind the steering wheel and started the car.

Nareo didn't seem to notice Shino's quiet demeanor and instead told her to head down to the post office. As they drove Shino couldn't help but stare up at the rearview mirror. She thought the car behind them might be following her, but it turned off to a side street after they had driven several blocks.

Shaking her head Shino refocused her attention and looked back down to the road before her. Her grip tightened on the wheel, however, as a new thought occurred to her. Narrowing her eyes Shino took a sharp breath. _Who says this hacker is working alone? I mean...what if he's hired someone to do his dirty work? Someone like him wouldn't risk doing things himself unless he had too. So if he found out where Masato was...all he would have to do is hire the right person to come and take him out. I mean I've been coming down to town pretty often to buy groceries and other supplies. It wouldn't be very hard for somebody to keep watch on me and figure out where we're staying, _Shino considered, biting her lip as she realized that Masato was at the mountain mansion all by himself right now.

* * *

Haseo frowned as the digital clock on the small table next to him marked the passing of another hour. Frustrated he grunted and rolled over onto his back, putting his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. The pristine white room was quickly growing stale and irritating, but there wasn't really anywhere else he could, or wanted, to go.

"You don't have to stay here. There are plenty of other rooms for you to use," the female voice that had calmly answered all of his questions and demands was now merely another object to direct his anger at.

Gritting his teeth Haseo continued to stare up at the ceiling. "I don't wantto _go_ anywhere. I _want_ to see Chigusa," he barely managed to avoid snapping back in reply. He had woken up hours ago and immediately Innis, in a more human-like PC, had been there to explain exactly what had happened and what Skeith had done. He realized that no matter how real and convincing his surroundings might seem, it was all just computer code. Haseo was stuck online the same way he had been during the AIDA PC incident and he wasn't going to be going anywhere soon.

_I can handle all of that, though, I mean I **did** give him permission to do whatever he felt was best so I don't really have the right to complain, _Haseo considered as he grew restless once again. Growling angrily he rolled over to his other side and crossed his arms. _It's true that I'm worried about what Skeith might do with my "real" body and how my parents will react to the news...but that's hardly the worst part,_ Haseo reflected as he finally gave in and just sat up, propping his arm up on his knee for support.

Turning his head he stared into the small mirror hanging on the wall next to him. The face that stared back at him was not his own, but rather that of his PC Haseo. He stared at his reflection for a moment before turning away and clenching his fist.

_I can't see Chigusa, I don't know how she's doing or if she's still in pain, I won't be there when she wakes up, and I can't touch her and let her know that I'm doing okay...that I'm alive and healing thanks to Skeith's newly developed abilities, _Haseo closed his eyes tightly at that thought and ran a hand through his hair. Being here online was a small price to pay in exchange for his life, so that part was fine. Not being able to see Chigusa, however, was _killing_ him.

Sure Skeith had spoken to him and updated him on Chigusa's condition, but all that he had said was that she was on heavy pain medications and was asleep because of it—like he couldn't figure that out on his own. Apparently she had suffered from a short bout of amnesia but that was now cleared up. Also, her injuries were healing rapidly thanks to Innis, but that was about the extent of Skeith's current knowledge. Chigusa's father Ikari was in jail until a trial could be arranged, but that would just be a formality. He had been caught in the act by the police and Chigusa was awake and could provide a fully detailed account of what had happened. All that was left was for Chigusa and himself to testify and then Ikari would be locked away for good.

Haseo was distracted when he heard Innis sigh heavily. He could hear her footsteps as she closed the few steps separating her from the fake hospital bed he was sitting on. Haseo's body tensed the minute he felt her hand on his shoulder. He let his arm drop and lifted his head to stare back at her bitterly.

Innis pursed her lips at the young man's expression and stared down at him. "Look, I know you want to see Atoli...Chigusa...but you _have_ to stay here until Skeith has healed your body enough for you to return to the real world. There aren't any other options open to us right now. You just have to be patient and..." she was trying to calm him down, but instead Haseo jerked his shoulder out of her grasp and sneered at her.

His red eyes flashed with rage as he slapped her hand away. "Patient? Patient? How do you expect me to be patient in this kind of situation? I don't care about being stuck online, I can handle that. It's being away from Chigusa that's the problem!" he spat and Innis clenched her jaw at those words. Haseo gritted his teeth as he spoke, "_You _weren't the one who opened the door and saw her laying there covered in blood with her own father holding a carving knife over her head! _You_ didn't get a bullet through your head and a blade in your back trying to rescue her. _You _didn't have to drive from Tokyo to Chiba and dodge a bunch of AIDA possessed vehicles at the same time. _You _don't have to sit here wondering about how Chigusa is doing and how she feels because your her Avatar and can talk to her anytime you like!" Haseo's voice trembled with anger and Innis twitched and chose to remain silent.

The Mirage of Deceit closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Finally Innis opened her eyes and fixed Haseo with a cold stare. "And how do you think **I** feel about all this?" she questioned, keeping her voice level. "Sure I can talk to her anytime I want. I can even heal her injuries and talk to her when she's upset...but how much good does that really do?" she shot back in a frosty tone. Haseo narrowed his eyes at her words, trying to figure out where she was going with this.

Innis crossed her arms and stared down at Haseo haughtily, "I can't heal the emotional scars that her father caused, I can't explain to Chigusa why her parents don't love her, I can't tell her why her mother abandoned and left her with that madman of a father Ikari, and I can't hold her or comfort her when she cries herself to sleep at night," the female Avatar voice rose angrily as she spoke. Haseo winced and looked away as Innis continued to stare him down.

The Mirage of Deceit lifted her chin before continuing. "How do you think Skeith and I feel knowing that every decision we make could mean life or death for either one of you? I want nothing more than to pull her out of that hospital and take her somewhere where _no one_ will be able to hurt her again...but we have to approach this matter patiently and calmly. There are more people involved in this situation than just you or I," Innis firmly chided him and Haseo gritted his teeth and gripped the bed sheets in frustration—she was right and he knew it.

When Haseo said nothing else Innis nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave. Touching the doorknob she was getting ready to exit the room when Haseo's voice broke the silence.

"Just what are we to you guys anyway?"

Innis turned around and frowned as she tried to figure out what he meant. Haseo looked up, his face serious as he clarified his question. "I know that we're your Users and you've chosen to follow and obey us..." he acknowledged curiously, "...but anyone can tell that things have progressed past that point...so what exactly _is_ Chigusa to you?" he asked and then waited for the Avatar to respond.

Innis stared at him strangely and then looked away and lowered her gaze to the floor, wrinkling her brow in thought as she considered that question. After a moment she opened her mouth and then slowly closed it again and frowned. Haseo could tell that he had caught Innis off-guard with that question.

_Hey brat, not interrupting anything am I?_ Skeith's deep voice interrupted in a far too cheerful tone. Haseo jumped in surprise and immediately scowled. "Skeith! I thought I told you not to call me that!" he blurted out angrily as Innis raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly before slipping out of the room unnoticed.

_What have you been doing? The last thing you said was 'hold on I'm busy' and then I'm left sitting around here twiddling my thumbs! _Haseo firmly chided his Avatar, but the Terror of Death ignored the bitter words and continued speaking. _Don't get your boxers in a bunch boy. Your doctor wanted to run some tests now that I...or at least your body...is up and moving again. Now I'm sitting back in the hospital room with your mother standing outside. I think she's calling your dad... is that good thing?_ Skeith added with genuine innocence.

Haseo sighed heavily and pinched his nose in frustration. _Dad... just has his own way of doing things and he doesn't appreciate humor so don't try to be funny,_ he warned seriously and when the First Phase replied he could hear the grin in his Avatar's voice.

_What? No Dr. Kevorkian jokes? _Skeith replied and spoke up again before Haseo could fire off a barbed comment, _Oh, settle down would you? I'm just going to tell your parents the truth, _he said patiently to assure his User that things would be just fine. Haseo made a face at that information, _That's just what I'm afraid of. You're not exactly tactful you know,_ he clearly remembered past conversations with his Avatar and knew full well that Skeith would say _exactly_ what was on his mind without worrying, or caring, about the feelings of others. A couple seconds passed in silence as Haseo waited for a reply.

_Tactful? What's tactful?_ Skeith asked with slight confusion in his voice. Immediately Haseo face-palmed, _Oh, dear lord..._ he groaned miserably at those words. The thought of Skeith walking around in his body was now almost too much to bear.

Brushing off his User's dismay, Skeith grunted dismissively, _Well, I'm sure everything will work out just fine. Besides they're just your parents—I'm your Avatar and that's more important than anything else, _he added with firm decisiveness. Haseo raised an eyebrow at that comment, but kept all other thoughts to himself.

* * *

Aihane sighed and sat down in the chair next to his hotel bed and carefully placed his laptop down on the table. Flipping the top up the hacker turned the power on and waited for the machine to finish booting up. Leaning back, Aihane pulled a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and pulled the tab on the end to light it up.

Inhaling deeply he turned to look out the window and reveled in the view before him. Spread out below was the city of Osaka. He had actually come down here from Tokyo for a special Robo Expo, which was a convention meant to show off the latest advances in the field of robotics, artificial intelligence, and the like. Not only was Aihane showing off his own creations and research, but more importantly he had come here to further his true goal.

_Iori's class will be taking a school field trip to the convention site tomorrow and that's when our dear boy will meet with a...most unfortunate **accident**, _Aihane smirked and took another drag on his cigarette. A small beep announced that his laptop was finished booting up and Aihane pulled his attention back to the present. Such pleasant daydreams could wait until later, right now he needed to perform a final check to make sure everything was prepared.

Running his hand over the small touch pad, Aihane clicked on a folder and opened it to reveal a list of different blueprints and pictures. The hacker and robotics specialist enlarged the picture labeled MAKO and smirked with great satisfaction as he examined the autonomous robot that was designed to look just like its real life counterpart the mako shark.

MAKO was an acronym that meant Mechanical Autonomous Kinetic Object and it was a special machine designed for high speed sprints and pin-point attacks. The military forces of Japan and the United States were already using it to protect ships and other vessels at sea, but they were also employed at public beaches around the world and were used to patrol the coastlines of various countries so they could protect and rescue swimmers from threats such as riptides, heavy surf, and real sharks who were known to occasionally attack humans.

MAKO's operated by using an artificial neural network, a special artificial intelligence system that could adapt and change structure according to external or internal information. In simple terms the MAKO and other robots like it could learn either by regular computer downloads or by simply watching what was going on around them. Thanks to the efforts of Howard Hoerwick, AI technology as a whole had reached the point where the Network Administration Bureau had voted several years ago on the subject of whether or not AI systems meeting certain standards should be considered sentient, thinking beings and have some of the same rights as human citizens. Ultimately, though, the motion had been defeated and AI's continued to be viewed as expendable programs by researchers.

_But that was a more than a couple years ago and technology doubles every two years, meaning that AI's now are easily as intelligent as humans and are able to learn and react in the same way that we do. Of course the majority of the public is kept in the dark about matters such at that, _Aihane opened another link to his home computer system and perused his army of AIDA fragments. With a slight frown Aihane isolated several Helen AIDA and examined the performance records attached to each them so as to determine which one would perform this next task most efficiently. Taking another drag on his smoke, Aihane picked two of them and put them in quarantine. One would perform the actual task and the other would wait on the sidelines should the first fragment fail to come through for him.

With a frown Aihane reflected on the status of his captured AI's. Scorpius had been acting awfully strange lately and he _wasn't_ going to take the chance that his most powerful AIDA fragment had turned against him. The AIDA in his possession had started become more and more individualized. Overall they still acted and thought as a whole, but individual personalities and feelings were beginning to emerge and become more and more prominent. Some of the fragments now served him willingly, while others clearly disliked Aihane and only stayed because of Scorpius. If the scorpion AIDA decided to leave, a good portion of the other AIDA would try to follow him.

Aihane flicked his cigarette over the ashtray as he thought more about the situation, _Scorpius is becoming more and more dissatisfied with my ideals and way of running things. It may be best to separate him from Fidchell and Corbenik so that they cannot corrupt him further...but then again he is the only one strong enough to stop both Epitaphs should they decide to make an escape attempt,_ he blew out a smoky breath and pursed his lips in distaste. He would leave Scorpius for now and let his slave systems do their job. They too operated by using neural nets and were changing constantly in order to maintain control over the Avatar's own rapidly advancing systems.

Getting back to the business at hand, Aihane carefully began typing out the mission plan that he wanted these particular Helen AIDA fragments to accomplish. The MAKO robot would be on display and Iori's class had a special pass to view it up close in the viewing pool. Smirking at the mental image, Aihane ordered the two AIDA into 'standby' mode in preparation for tomorrow.

_Unfortunately the MAKO will be the last thing that boy every sees. Even Gorre will not be able to save him. My AIDA will attack so quickly that it will be all over in the blink of an eye, _Aihane closed the onscreen window and opened up an Internet browser. He wanted to confirm the convention schedule one more time before turning in. _By tomorrow...another Epitaph User will be dead, _Aihane chuckled and then laughed loudly to himself at his glorious plan.

* * *

Abtrunniger bobbed his head and tail in time the music as Freuer Frei by Rammstein played throughout the Outer Dungeon. Magus and Kuhn were off playing The World and simply enjoying the game like the other normal players. Things were pretty peaceful here so there wasn't any reason why they shouldn't have fun. Macha had merely smiled and said that she would be back later, while Gorre was off in one of the side rooms toying around with The World's data for their personal amusement. Tarvos had left to deliver a personal message to her User and would be back in a few minutes.

With a wave of his tail the cobra AIDA brought up a screen showing the latest police report. _Cause of Death: toxic mix of alcohol and sleeping pills. The evidence points to suicide rather than homicide or murder, _Abtrunniger nodded in satisfaction as he skimmed through the rest of the information. _So they're suspicious about the amount of time Yata or Takumi spent online, but the coroner has determined that such lengthy computer time played no serious role in his death. So the police don't trust CC Corp, but they really have no reason or license to investigate further. If the higher ups don't do something stupid than this will be a closed case, _the AIDA grinned at that last part as the track switched to the next song.

Closing down the windows, Abtrunniger stretched and then curled his body into a loose coil. _I wonder what Aihane is going to do next. He's not just going to let his failure to kill Haseo and Atoli slide by. He'll target one of the other Epitaph Users soon, _he considered thoughtfully as he closed his eyes. _But unless Ambrosia, or rather Rhodesia, gives me specific orders than it is not my place to take unnecessary action. There are other matters for me to attend to, _Abtrunniger decided as he relaxed and turned the music down to a soft murmur.

The AIDA was about to go to sleep when the sound of someone a small 'ping' caught his attention. Opening his eyes Abtrunniger saw Rhodesia's PC Ambrosia warping in. Lifting his head he smiled warmly at her, "Guten tag. Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?" he asked kindly as she hesitated slightly.

"Not wanting wake you up did I. Just a question on my mind there was," Ambrosia explained and Abtrunniger shook his head in denial. "I wasn't sleeping just yet. Besides I haven't been working all _that_ hard that I can't ease your mind," the cobra AIDA responded as he invited her closer with a flick of his tail.

Ambrosia accepted the invitation and moved closer so they could speak without being overheard. Looking up she continued, "Been thinking about Scorpius I have. Know I do that is currently with Aihane he is...but just what is he? Just the same as you is he not?" she inquired as Abtrunniger listened attentively.

The AIDA hummed at that and thought for a moment before responding. "At one point or another all the Avatar's have been infected with AIDA. Haseo was infected during the Sage Palace Tournament, Magus and Kuhn were infected during his first forays as an Epitaph User. Even Fidchell was infected, but when Yata lost it the AIDA was suppressed and ultimately removed after Skeith used Data Drain so no one ever really noticed it was there in the first place," Abtrunniger stated simply and then smiled when he caught Ambrosia's suspicious look.

"All AIDA have the same memories from before Tri-Edge was destroyed," the cobra clarified and she frowned but shrugged it off. "Makes sense that do," Ambrosia waved her hand in a gesture for him to continue. Abtrunniger turned the music up a little as the song Du Hast came on. "Anyway, all the data and information was synchronized with the individual AIDA that originally infected the Avatar. That's why I act, behave, and even think the same as Magus does. Because I am the AIDA that originally infected him," Abtrunniger lifted his tail to forestall any questions.

"Now that Tri-Edge is gone, however, all of the AIDA fragments that remain have been freed from their aggression and have no desire to attack or humans. There are some exceptions thanks to Aihane's tricks but we're not talking about him right now," Abtrunniger added that as an aside before leaning back on his coils, "Including me there are eight AIDA who hold the a portion of the original Avatar's power. Their names are Scorpius, Dendeira, Verreaux, Atlas and Kodachi, Panthera, Ceren, and Xen. They correspond to Skeith, Innis, Fidchell, Hinote Gorre and Gorre Taiga, Macha, Tarvos, and finally Corbenik respectively. We are now the strongest AIDA in existence. By assimilating and synchronizing the Avatar's data with our own, we have individually become _at least _as powerful as Tri-Edge and collectively we are as strong as Aura," Abtrunniger paused for a moment to make sure Ambrosia was getting all this.

When she nodded the AIDA finished up, "But our powers were originally stolen from the Eight Phases...so in the end...we'll have to give them back," Abtrunniger concluded absently as he imaged that moment—it wasn't that far off now. Ambrosia was silent for a moment as she crossed her arms and looked away.

Finally Ambrosia turned back to the AIDA, "What happen to you then? Have to do this do you?" she asked tactfully and Abtrunniger nodded affirmatively, "We won't die if that's what your getting at. Instead we'll be a part of the Avatar our power came from. I will be a part of Magus, living on inside of him and lending him my own AIDA abilities as well," he explained before moving on to her second question.

"Now if we had infected the Epitaphs and then been removed from them that would be fine, but we took some of their power with us...a power that does not belong to any AIDA. It is...like having something within you that doesn't belong there. So when I finally do merge with Magus and the other AIDA fragments with their respective Avatar's then I will finally be satisfied. It also means that I'll still be able to help you defeat Aihane and free my other fellow AIDA from his slave systems," Abtrunniger concluded with clear satisfaction.

Ambrosia smiled and bowed to him, "Well then count myself fortunate do I that have you on our side and so willing to help you are," she said with clear relief in her voice. Abtrunniger bowed his head in a shrug, "Hey, don't go throwing a party just yet. The others might be willing to help, but if Aihane gets to them first and changes their minds the way he's done with Scorpius then nothing else will matter much," he warned, but the G.U. leader waved him off.

"Worry about that when it comes I will. For now just rest you must. Think maybe possible location of other AIDA fragment like you I have. Putting you to work soon enough we will," Ambrosia added in a far too cheerful tone. Abtrunniger hissed with amusement, "Yes, ma'am. I shall be ready whenever you need me," he replied easily.

* * *

**AN: **COLLEGE IS OVER BABY! Finally I am free! Now that my last and final class is over I am finally able to update! I didn't want to take this long but I'm sure that part at the end has gotten your attention hasn't it? Also the popularity poll is still up so please take the time to vote! I'll be closing it once Chapter 31 goes up so don't forget to vote everyone!

By the way I decided to make Aihane a smoker because...well...I hate smoking, I hate the smell, it ruins your health and the health of those around you and if you Google images of smoker's lung or periodontis than you'll have more than enough reason to stop. Plus I have asthma so cigarette smoke sets me of and makes it harder for me to breath (I can actually feel my lungs fighting harder to breathe and my throat getting tighter—not a nice feeling I'll tell you). So I just made him a smoker to make him seem a little more shady. (Anyone who smokes I mean you no offense, this is just my personal opinion on the matter)

Now on another note the identities of the other AIDA fragments like Scorpius and Abtrunniger have been revealed! (Kind of) Now of course Scorpius is a scorpion—how do you think I came up with the name? While Abtrunniger I just came up with on a whim because I liked it. XD

The names of the rest of the yet-to-be-seen AIDA provide a clue as to what they are and I will give a special mention to anyone who can figure them all out! So here we go! (For example the name Atlas comes from the Atlas bear which is now extinct and Kodachi I got from the word Kodiak which is also a bear and considered one of the largest species on earth)

Dendeira = Dendrochirus (just type it into Wikipedia and you'll get it)

Verreaux = The name of a particular type/breed/species of animal.

Panthera = Genus name. Should be obvious I would think.

Ceren = No particular meaning. I just came up with it on my own. But Ceren takes the form of a certain mythlogical bird...can you guess which one?

Xen = Xenacanthida. Xen is an AIDA that takes the form of this particular creature...

There you go. Swing over to Wikipedia and start looking it all up. Don't forget to give me your answers though! All those readers who get it right will be listed in the Author's note at the beginning of the next chapter.

As for the MAKO robot...well I just made it up, all that stuff about neural networks being used as the "brains" of artificial intelligence systems is true however. They can even use DNA to control and change how a robot will behave but I'm not sure how. I'm still researching that aspect of things...

Oh, I've dropped so many hints about what is to come that the chapter is brimming over with them! If you think you've picked up on a few of them then shoot a message my way and tell me what they are! In return I'll tell you if your right or not. Reader involvement 101 is here!

The chapter title refers to the fact that its so easy to get caught up in the details that you miss the big picture. In the end everything will tie together, but it may not be in the way that you expect.

Finally, did you know that Skeith is actually on Twitter? I found him a couple weeks ago. I'm surprised at the amount of anime characters and pokemon on the site. Very interesting I can tell you. XD

Chapter 30 has come and gone so quickly. Make it special by reviewing everyone! Peace out!


	31. Don't Go Into the Water

AN: And here we go again everyone! First off I'll list the names of those who correctly identified the remaining AIDA. Shaveza and Akira Yamato both got it right! I think Catalyna Cullen may have sent me a PM but if she did than I don't remember. (I'm so sorry! _)

But I won't bore you with all of my musings, instead I'll let you get on with the chapter! This entire chapter is dedicated to Iori...and it doesn't end well. Don't worry! He won't die. The previous poll already decided that and I consented, but that doesn't mean Aihane is just going to sit back and twiddle his thumbs. And a new AIDA is mentioned! So read on and enjoy the story everyone!

(Please save your assorted weapons, insults, and cries of anger, sadness, or frustration till the end of the story please) -runs away-

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Timeline Update: Monday, December 2nd.

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Chapter 31: Don't Go Into The Water

* * *

Iori was sitting by himself on the school bus as his class headed to the largest convention site here in Osaka. He was incredibly excited about the field trip and couldn't wait to see all the robots, but at the moment he was more concerned about the information he had given Rhodesia. Iori had wanted to give it to her during Takumi's memorial service but something had happened to Endrance and they had left abruptly.

_No, not Endrance, his name is Kaoru,_ Iori scolded himself as he checked his cell phone again. He had to start thinking of his friends by their real names and not just by their online persona's. A small buzz distracted him and Iori looked down and saw Rhodesia's name on the cell phone screen. Quickly he answered it before Saku could chide him for being slow.

"Um hello? Ms. Rhodesia?" he asked softly and when the woman spoke he could hear the smile in her voice. "Is me. Sorry not able speak to you during memorial the other day," Rhodesia said by way of apology and Iori fumbled around for a response. The idea that someone of her authority and power would be apologizing to _him_ was embarrassing.

"It's... well um... uh, well... you know I couldn't get that news report printout to you the other day... so... so I sent it too you by e-mail instead and... well I hope you got it and... " Iori trailed off as Saku growled in disgust and interrupted his words.

_Quit messing around and speak up already! Or do you need me to do it for you? _his big sister demanded and he quickly found his voice. The last thing Iori needed was for Saku to push her way in and end up starting an argument with the G.U. leader.

Saku and Reiko were the only ones who still harbored animosity towards Rhodesia, and quite a bit of it at that. Reiko was bitter because she felt that the woman had "pushed" her way into Takumi's position. Saku on the other hand was angry because her dear "Master En" was now paying more attention to Rhodesia than to her. Iori had considered telling his sister that her idol had never really paid any attention to her in the first place, but then thought better of it and decided to just keep his mouth shut.

"Iori?"

Iori jumped and turned red as he realized he had drifted off in thought while Rhodesia was trying to talk to him. "Oh! I'm so sorry ma'am I didn't mean to..." he tried to apologize, but Rhodesia merely laughed at his unease. "Stop being uptight so would you?" she responded kindly. He could hear the a loud creak as Rhodesia leaned back in her chair.

There was a rustle of paper as the woman continued, "Got e-mail yours. Very interesting I find it. Report it did incidents of underwater autonomous robots having problems. AI's displaying strange behavior and refusing to say what happen afterward. Traces of AIDA found when systems check run was. Almost found once but ran away did it. Would take powerful AIDA to force AI's into submission and also into speaking not. Possibly is like Abtrunniger I think," Rhodesia explained and he could hear someone tapping on a keyboard in the background.

Iori beamed at that information. "Thank you very much. I found a few others that turned out to be dead ends, but Hinote Gorre and Gorre Taiga have followed one and they think it may lead us closer to Aihane," he added happily, finally finding his voice thanks to Rhodesia's gentle encouragement.

The woman hummed in interest before continuing, "E-mail them and anything else to me when get time you do. Have much work myself right now, but get back to you later on I will. Enjoy your field trip" Rhodesia said warmly before ending the call. Iori slipped his phone back in his pocket and wondered what it was that had Rhodesia in such a good mood today.

_Reiko probably isn't around to bug her. That woman could drive anyone up a wall, _Saku stated cynically. Iori fought hard not to smile and tried to defend their fellow Epitaph User. _Pi... Reiko may be a bit stiff and serious, but that's just because she's trying to follow the rules, _the boy objected, but his big sister snorted and brushed off his light admonition. _Oh, please! That woman is so inflexible it puts Haseo to shame, _Saku shot back unrepentantly. Iori had no reply to that and instead merely stared out of the bus window.

They still had a ways to go before getting the convention center, which left him plenty of time to think about his role as an Epitaph User and G.U. member.

At first Iori had been hugely disappointed and slightly frustrated by the fact that Rhodesia wouldn't allow him to fight. Now, though, Iori could see that his efforts were just as important as everyone else's. The fact that he wasn't directly in harm's way meant that he had plenty of time to devote to other G.U. projects. So instead of having Iori and Saku patrol The World in search of dangerous AIDA, Rhodesia instead had them scouring the Internet for anything that may be related to AIDA.

Iori had spent the past couple weeks and months looking through information that included news articles, reports, blogs, comments, as well as threads that commented on unusual computer problems, bugs, and mechanical issues. Gorre had managed to find a comprehensive listing of robot and network-bound A.I.'s that had reported AIDA sightings as well.

All unmanned robots were naturally controlled by A.I.'s now and after the Third Network Crisis and Cubia Incident this past summer, the WNC had passed a bill ordering all A.I.'s to report any signs of the bug/virus so that it could be dealt with immediately. Just the other day the WNC had made another announcement saying that they would soon be passing new laws requiring certain machines, computer systems, servers, and businesses to have some type of A.I. system to monitor and report any problems or inconsistencies that humans may not notice or pick up on.

Most A.I.'s today were Wandering or Vagrant A.I.'s that had been captured and re-engineered instead of being deleted. This meant that instead of spending countless months or even years compiling a proper A.I., a company or organization could file a request with the WNC and receive and one from them. Not everyone was happy with this method and said that A.I.'s should be treated with more respect than that, but of course the higher ups didn't listen as long as it meant more money in their pockets.

_Snap out of it, we're here!_ Saku alerted him and Iori snapped out of his thoughts and looked out of the window to see that they were pulling into a parking space. Sighing lightly, Iori straightened up and prepared to get off. _I can think about all of that later on. For now I need to keep my eyes open because 99% of the robots and machines here will be controlled by some type of A.I. Saku and I need to pay close attention just in case something unusual happens, _Iori considered as he stood up and made his way towards the door along with his classmates.

* * *

Abtrunniger tilted his head as a small window opened up on his left, flashing the word PRIORITY in bright yellow. He was in the Outer Dungeon idly flipping through some CC Corp files. Now that the police investigation had run onto dry ground there wasn't much else for him to do.

Magus was currently out with Tarvos rounding up any and all AIDA that Aihane had sent into The World. The hacker was always slipping a few fragments in to attack the players or even the Game Master. It certainly kept them on their toes running from one area to then next trying to protect players from getting hurt. Usually they were able to keep PC's from being too badly damaged, but there were increasing cases of players having serious physical problems or ailments as a result of online encounters with AIDA.

_Most of the AIDA that Aihane has in his possession are being held against their will. However, there are others who stay with him willingly. They can't all be saints such as myself I suppose, _Abtrunniger grinned at the thought. Flicking his tail he clicked on the Priority message and was surprised when the screen widened to show Rhodesia sitting there, clearly on web-cam. She was talking to someone just outside of view and straightened with surprise when she looked back at the screen and saw him.

"Oh! There you is. Anyone else there with you?" Rhodesia questioned and Abtrunniger looked over at Macha who was not to far down from him and doing some research of her own for her User, Kaoru. After a moment The Temptress felt his gaze and looked around, staring at him for a moment before slowly blinking her eyes. "I can't hear a thing," Macha assured with a wave of her hand to show that she wouldn't reveal anything about their discussion. Of course with her aloof nature she probably wouldn't pay much attention to their conversation either way.

Turning back to the web-cam view Abtrunniger bowed his head in a shrug. Rhodesia smiled at that and leaned closer, "Just looking over information Iori sent me I was and found something very interesting. Powerful AIDA apparently has been infecting underwater robots and machines. Special interest in experimental ones it has taken. Not causing damage is it, just examines data and code then leave it does," she explained to him as she reached over and grabbed a couple sheets of paper.

The G.U. leader flipped through them before apparently finding what she was looking for. Setting them aside again Rhodesia continued, "Of course today now is robotics convention. Biggest in Japan and maybe world too. Seems like place our AIDA might show up at I think. Featuring they is newest MAKO robot model right now and all A.I.'s present must have network connections. Special server set up to handle traffic load. Is where AIDA show up will if appears at all," she explained to him and her plan was readily apparent to him.

Abtrunniger chewed on that piece of information for a moment before asking, "You want me to go there and see if this AIDA shows up I presume? Want me to persuade him or her into our trenches while I'm there?" he flashed his teeth impudently and he could see Rhodesia's mouth twitch as she resisted the urge to smile. "Do what I say and like it you will," the woman said in mock severity and Abtrunniger bowed his head several times in "apology."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll use all of my charm and quick wit to convince that AIDA to come to our side," the cobra AIDA promised whole-heartedly as Macha snorted at his choice of words. Ignoring her Abtrunniger added, "Of course I suspect that our little runaway here is Dendeira and if it is then I shouldn't have much problem getting her to help you fine people out. After Tri-Edge was destroyed and AIDA fragmented we actually wandered around together until Aihane got wise to us and we had to split up," he observed thoughtfully.

Quickly he moved on from his reminiscing and added, "I have to say there's no one who loves humans more than Dendeira. She is especially interested in children. Of all the remaining AIDA like myself, she's the one who will give us the least trouble...if any," Abtrunniger provided and Rhodesia brightened at that.

"Then hope is her I do. Be careful though! Gorre will follow Iori through the network and likely will be on same server convention hall set up has. Don't want anyone knowing you're there do I. Hopeful I am, but so much going on already and not raising anyone's hopes for nothing do I want," Rhodesia warned and Abtrunniger could see the wisdom in that. All the members of G.U. were stressed out enough as it was with Ryou and Chigusa in the hospital and more AIDA fragments appearing in The World to attack the players. They certainly didn't need to get their hopes up only to have them dashed to pieces.

Sitting up straighter Abtrunniger nodded affirmatively, "Worry not my fine lady. I will not return to you without results...hopefully good ones," he added and Rhodesia rolled her eyes before the web-cam shut off and the window closed. Moments later a link popped up directing him to the Convention Center's website. After that he would have to find own way from that server to the private one that was being used.

_No problem. Like following a road map...or a GPS readout rather, _Abtrunniger considered as he opened a data tear that lead away from the Outer Dungeon. He paused and looked over at Macha who was still in her own little world. She raised her claws toward the screens in front of her before glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Try not to get yourself deleted," Macha said simply and without malice. Abtrunniger shrugged and figured that was as much of a farewell as he was going to get. Slithering forward he slipped through the hole and let it close behind him.

* * *

As they walked through the parking lot Iori couldn't help but wonder what would happen if one of the A.I.'s got angry or upset. Many of them were literally walking weapons while others were easily twice as strong as the average human being.

Sensing his unease Gorre Taiga quickly spoke up to allay Iori's fears. _Don't worry boss! It says on the website that all A.I. controlled robot or machines will have network connections so they can be shut down immediately from anywhere if one of them goes haywire. There's never been this many A.I.'s in one place before and no one knows how they'll respond to each other, _the Epitaph happily provided.

Hinote Gorre snorted derisively, _That's silly of course. Most of them will be more than happy to talk and associate with others like themselves. Unlike us they're confined to private systems and business networks. They can't roam around freely most of the time so when their not working they'll take time to make some friends. Just like those two, _she chimed in as Iori stepped down off the bus. The boy looked to his right and saw what the Avatar was referring to. There were two humanoid robots talking and gesturing to each other as they spoke—a group of people had gathered around and were taking pictures and video of the conversation.

"Pay attention everyone!" one of the teachers leading the field trip ordered and Iori refocused his attention. They _were_ here to have fun after all.

"Now we'll be going straight inside and looking at the MAKO robot up close. Then we'll have lunch and split into individual groups after that," the teacher announced and all the students cheered happily before the group started moving towards the building. As the group of students walked down the pavement there were plenty of engineers, robots, and machines surrounding them, but they were all still preparing themselves for later on when they would be able to show off for the crowds.

Iori was fascinated by all of the technology surrounding him, but as he walked with his fellow students he became aware of a growing trend. Fidgeting uneasily the boy looked around and realized that it wasn't just him. The other students and even convention attendees were starting to notice it as well.

Most of the robots here were humanoid or based off of animals, others were box or rectangular shaped machines that rolled around on their treads as they ran through different tasks, there were also countless of others that came in all shapes and sizes....and all of them were staring right at Iori.

_Saku...why are all the robots staring at me like that? _Iori asked as more machines turned his way. There was a buzzing sound as a colorful blue and green robot modeled after a dragonfly swung in over the other students and stopped less than a foot in front of him—its four wings beating in perfect harmony as it hovered there in front of Iori, big eyes whirring and clicking as it examined him. Iori leaned back to put a little distance between them but the dragonfly merely flitted closer, keeping the same amount of distance between them.

_Saku?_ Iori questioned when his big sister failed to respond. Immediately she shot back a sharp retort, _What are you asking me for? I don't know why their so interested in us. Ask Gorre! _Saku told him and the boy stepped back only to step on something behind him.

Before Iori could fall over backwards a pair of arms quickly grabbed him before hauling him back to his feet. The boy regained his footing and then stumbled forward with a surprised gasp, just barely managing to avoid hitting his head on the flitting dragonfly as it pulled up and around to the right side of his body.

"I am sorry sir. I do hope I was not too rough with you," the strange voice behind him apologized politely and Iori turned around to see a humanoid robot not much taller than himself standing there. The robot leaned closer, its camera eyes widening as it lifted a hand and squeezed his arm curiously.

"Hey!" Iori yelped at the sudden pressure and jerked back as the dragonfly robot buzzed around to his other side and hovered there, silent except for the sound of its wings flapping and its eyes adjusting. The robot who had helped him blinked slowly and pulled its hand back, "Oh! I am sorry sir. I did not mean to offend you...but..." it paused and tilted its head to one side, "...but you are human and still I sense an A.I. Like myself with you...how is this?" it questioned innocently.

Iori gasped at that information but was spared from having to give an explanation when a man suddenly stumbled out of the small crowd that had gathered. He quickly hurried over to the two robots and waved his hand around at the dragonfly who clicked rapidly as it backed off. "Shoo! I thought I told you both to stay where I could see you!" he chastised as the hovering machine dipped its wings in apology and retreated to a spot just above the man's shoulder.

The humanoid robot looked up at the guy and then pointed to Iori. "But I can sense an extremely powerful A.I. attached to him. How is this possible when he is human?" it inquired once again, this time more insistently. The man rolled his eyes and tapped its round head, "I think its possible that you both have spent too much time without a systems check," he grunted before turning back to Iori and the school teachers with a smile.

"Sorry about that folks. These two A.I.'s are just too curious for their own good sometimes, but they mean no harm really," he promised before grabbing the hand of the humanoid machine and pulling it off. "Come on you. We can't have you bothering people," he chided and the robot narrowed its eyes and looked back at Iori even as it was pulled away. "I was _not_ bothering him. I was just asking a question," it said defensively, sounding for all the world like a scolded child.

With a loud clap of her hands one of the teachers got their attention again. "Okay, okay enough of that alright? Now stay together and don't wander off okay?" she ordered and the other students whispered to themselves and stole glances over at Iori as they started walking again. Iori gave a small sigh of relief as his classmates slowly turned away and refocused their attention on the other machines around them.

Iori took a deep breath as another robot turned to stare at him. It's gaze lingered on him for several long seconds before someone standing in the crowd asked it a question and it looked away. The class had started to get ahead of him so Iori quickly hurried after them as they funneled into the air-conditioned convention building.

_Gorre? That robot couldn't really have sensed you two could it? _he questioned as the teachers led them around to a door on the left side of the spacious hall. Hinote Gorre quickly shot him down in a slightly mocking tone, _Of course the other A.I.'s could sense us! Why wouldn't they? That's like walking down the streets of Osaka and saying that you didn't notice the crowd around you, _she stated acidly as Gorre Taiga spoke up with a much kinder tone of voice.

_Hinote has a point though. I mean...well, for example, when your in The World you automatically notice whether a PC is human or a beastman right? You don't go out of your way to notice the difference...its just a subconscious reaction right? Well its the same for us. Wandering or Vagrant A.I.'s are all over the network and if they're in an online game they'll usually try to pass themselves off as regular PC's, NPC, or monsters to avoid detection. Others simply wander from place to place to avoid being caught by debugging teams, _Gorre Taiga paused and Iori got the impression the Avatar was shrugging his shoulders.

_Either way we can automatically tell the difference, just like you could tell the difference between a native Japanese and someone from...oh, say Africa or the Middle East. You notice because it's something different. Like I said, it's a subconscious reaction, _Gorre Taiga summed up nicely as the school group came to the door and the teachers directed them through it.

Iori leaned over to look around the girl in front of him and could see a darker room with a large glass pool just through the door. He was distracted when Saku interrupted, _Okay, that part makes perfect sense. But you seem to be forgetting that __**we're not online**__! So how could they tell we were connected to an A.I.?_ she loudly demanded and Iori winced at all the voices in his head.

_Could you please be a little quieter?_ the boy asked softly and Saku grunted and Gorre quickly apologized. _Sorry boss,_ Gorre Taiga wasn't exactly contrite and cleared his throat before adding, _Well, as one of the Eight Phases of Morganna we ARE A.I.'s but we're not like all the others just as Aura isn't really like us. We don't just wander around on our own, we're physically and mentally connected to you so... _the Epitaph paused for a moment ..._I don't know maybe there's a special magnetic field around you or something, _the Avatar's response was less than helpful.

Saku growled and pushed the matter away, _Why don't you let Rhodesia and Pi fight over all the scientific possibilities? Somehow these robots and A.I.'s can tell that Iori is different and that's all we need to know. The other G.U. members can fight over all the little details later, _she reasoned haughtily, and she did have a point. They could worry about the hows and whys of all this after the convention was over. Iori sighed and decided to just let the matter drop.

Since he was near the back of the group Iori paused and made sure to close the door as he passed through it. When he turned around the first thing he noticed was the pool or aquarium that towered over their heads. It had clear glass all the way around so you could see straight through to the other side, but in order to actually enter the water you had to walk up a metal stairway off to the right and then climb up to the second floor. However, it was the machines swimming around inside the aquarium that drew everyone's attention.

Iori glanced over as the teacher introduced one of the engineers who began describing the various machines idly swimming through the water, but his attention was quickly recaptured by the large, but sleek shark-like robot that calmly turned and drifted closer to the glass wall. It almost seemed like it was looking straight at him just as the other robots had.

Gorre Taiga picked up on his thoughts and quickly provided an answer, _Well boss it probably is. Just as long as it doesn't decide to have an Iori sandwich for lunch, he_ joked and then yelped as if in pain as Hinote Gorre spoke up. _That's not even funny! Don't joke around like that! Especially with Aihane running around trying to kill all the Epitaph Users! _she shot back and Iori grimaced at those words. Had Hinote Gorre not said anything then he probably wouldn't have thought twice about the matter.

Saku picked up on Iori's dismay and quickly chastised Gorre with a sharp tongue. _See what you've done? He's upset and its all your fault! Be more considerate next time! _She demanded and the Avatar's quickly mumbled a heartfelt apology. _Sorry boss, I was just joking...I hope I didn't upset you too much, _Gorre Taiga said truly repentant.

Iori for his part merely shook his head. _Don't worry about it. I'll be fine, he_ nodded to confirm that thought and followed the other students as they trailed after the teachers and engineer as they walked up the stairs to the second level. Once they made it up the stairs they would be able to see the shark robot up close.

As Iori walked up the staircase the "shark" turned and swam right alongside him, its steady gaze making it clear that it was indeed staring at him. After making it to the top Iori could see that there was someone else on the left side of the huge aquarium. A woman was sitting on the edge of the metal walkway with her feet dangling into the water as she typed away on her keyboard. He continued watching as a dolphin model robot swam up and rubbed against her feet affectionately. The woman laughed and set her laptop aside as she leaned forward to examine the machine.

_See? A.I.'s and humans can get along just fine! Maybe this will convince CC Corp to try and work with us instead of trying to control us all the time, _Hinote Gorre stated firmly as Gorre Taiga agreed. Immediately both Avatar's started going back and forth about the "idiots at CC Corp" and even Saku threw herself into the conversation with her statements about how worthless all the employee's were. Iori smiled and relaxed as he shifted through the crowd of students until he was closest to the water.

The metal jutted out over the water and there wasn't a railing to hold them back so once all the students were safely settled the engineer started talking. "There are actually a couple different water robots or machines in this tank right now, but that slim dark blue one right there to your left is the MAKO. It earned that name because of its incredible and unparalleled speed in the water. Its also used a lot in civilian service where it patrols beaches to help protect swimmers. It will also accompany cruise ships and smaller cargo vessels at sea in case someone falls overboard or a group of pirates tries to attack," he explained calmly as the shark robot calmly broke the surface and turned on its side to look up at the curious students.

It flicked its tail and floated forward before coming to a stop in front of Iori. The boy gasped and held his breath as he stared straight into the robot's eyes. He could see the mechanics moving and tightening. The MAKO's eyes adjusted as it zoomed in on Iori, looking at him closer as the engineer continued speaking.

Reluctantly breaking his gaze with the MAKO, Iori could see that there were dual glowing blue lines running down the sides of the machine. Leaning closer the boy looked at the bottom line and he realized there were not only miniscule cameras, but even small holoprojectors neatly lined up along the strip. The top blue line, however, was like one tiny but continuous computer screen. Iori crouched down as he noticed small images dancing across the tiny blue strip.

_What is that? _Saku asked curiously as the boy squinted. As he did so the shapes came into clearer focus and Iori realized just what they were.

Black dots.

"It's AIDA!" Iori shouted as he fell backwards. Everyone turned to stare at him just as a piercing alarm began to sound all around the room. Everything that happened next seemed to occur at once.

"Sir we're being hacked! Something is overriding the A.I. in one of the MAKO'S!" It took a second before Iori realized that the voice must becoming from that woman he had seen on the other side of the tank as they were walking up the stairs.

Iori scrambled to his feet just as the MAKO whipped its body around in a sharp curve. The robot slammed its tail into the metal walkway, shaking it so violently that Iori lost his balance and quickly threw his hands out in front of him to brace his landing. He crashed back down onto the walkway and looked up just in time to see the MAKO heave itself up out of the water. Its jaws opened wide its triple rows of teeth gleaming as it curved towards him.

Iori opened his mouth to cry out, but no words came out. Out of the corner of his eyes the boy could see the engineer reaching out for him and Iori lifted his hands to protect himself, but it was too late. Everything went dark as the MAKO'S jaw's closed over Iori's head. The boy screamed in pain as he felt a stabbing pain ripping into his shoulders and upper back as he was pulled down to the walkway.

He could hear the robots mechanics smoothly grinding together before his body was suddenly jerked violently from side to side. The MAKO's body was caught on the metal walkway and holding onto Iori's weight made it hard for the machine to maneuver itself back into the water, but still refused to let go of its prey and instead continued to thrash back and forth.

_Iori! Hold on we'll get you out of there! _Gorre, both of them, shouted frantically as Saku cried out in fear.

The boy managed to swing his arms around and grabbed the sides of the MAKO'S jaws, trying to pry them open. A deep hiss pierced his ears and suddenly it stopped moving before rolling around violently. It slid back into the water and Iori gasped as the cold tank water started to stream in through the sides of the robots mouth.

_AIDA has subverted the A.I.'s control and hacked the robot! This must be Aihane's doing! _Gorre Taiga cried out as Iori fought wildly to get himself free. _Just hold on! Gorre will get us out of here in no time! _Saku assured

him, but Iori could hear the fear in her voice and a cold wave of panic began to override his senses. The water was slowing down his movements and he wasn't nearly strong enough to pull himself free.

The water was getting higher and Iori could only turn his head as it began to go up his nose. _Its going to try and drown me!_ Iori closed his eyes and managed to take a deep breath just as the water inched up higher, cutting off what little air remained.

_We've back-hacked the private section of the server system their using! The A.I. here says it was kicked off and disconnected from its main robot body all of a sudden by a purple fish AIDA, but its already told the others what's happening. One of the other robots will be there to help you in just a second so hold on! _Gorre Taiga informed him and moments later the boy could hear a resounding, metallic BOOM! that rang soundly in his ears.

Suddenly the AIDA controlled MAKO released him and Iori opened his eyes to see the water clouded red with blood. He could just make out the blurry shape of one of the dolphin model robots darting out of the way as the MAKO whipped around with open jaws as it tried to tear the other machine apart.

Feebly Iori moved his arms, but it wasn't nearly enough to get him moving. His earlier exertions had rapidly depleted his lungful of air and his muscles had been damaged by the MAKO's teeth. He was slowly floating back up to the surface, but he would be out of air by the time that happened.

One of the other dolphin robots swung around his way and gently nudged its body under Iori. With a deft flick of its tail the robot rose up towards the surface with Iori on its back, but he was quickly losing consciousness and as his head broke the surface the surface he just barely managed to take a ragged breath. The robot supporting him gave an angry squawk and Iori felt the same pressure that had grabbed him earlier now latch onto his lower leg. He looked over his shoulder and saw the sleek form of the MAKO just as it ripped him away and pulled him back under the water.

The MAKO let him go but then darted back around and grabbed him by his midsection, thrashing Iori back and forth as its hundreds of sharp teeth did their job. The teeth were designed to be able to grab, hold, tear, and if necessary grind holes straight through metal in order to disable enemy ships and transporter. It certainly didn't have any trouble tearing into Iori's body and ripping him to ribbons. Iori opened his mouth to scream, but only got a lungful of water that immediately choked out the little air that had been in his lungs.

Once again one of the dolphin robots dropped its head and slammed full forced into the MAKO. This time when the shark let Iori go another dolphin model swept under him and shot off like a dart towards the surface, breaking the water and turning quickly to as it headed over to the walkway. It slid to a stop and lifted its head to whistle loudly as one of Iori's teachers rushed over and quickly grabbed hold of him.

"Oh, geez! Careful, careful! His body is..." the voice stopped and Iori faintly realized that he was being pulled out of the water. He could hear Gorre calling out to him, but couldn't make out the words. Saku was screaming at him to hold on, but Iori was just too weak. As his eyes drifted shut he could hear people screaming for an ambulance while another pushed on his chest.

"He's not breathing! He's not breathing! Back up! We have to do CPR until the medic's get here!" someone else called out urgently and Iori could hear some of the other students crying before his world went dark.

* * *

**AN:** Now before you all jump on me and scream "HOW COULD YOU DO SUCH A THING!!!!" Please be assured that there is still a lot that has to be explained here! I could have gone on and one, but I did promise to keep my chapters short from now on and even this chapter was a little longer than I wanted it to be. Cutting it off, though, would have been awkward and you would have hated me even more than you surely do now so I just let it go.

So while I'm sure you all have plenty of questions I promise that there is more to be explained and most of your questions should be answered in the next chapter, so please bear with me okay? Please? Pretty please?

Now that I've settled that matter (for the moment at least) I would like to list the results of the recent popularity poll! It is now closed and the votes are in so here you go!

1st Place: Skeith

2nd Place: Haseo/Ryou

3rd Place: Atoli/Chigusa

4th Place: Macha

5th Place: Innis

6th Place: Endrance/Kaoru

7th Place: Saku

8th Place: Abtrunniger

9th Place: Kuhn/Tomonari

10th Place: Bo/Iori

11th Place: Ovan/Masato

12th Place: Magus

13th Place: Gorre Taiga

14th Place: Corbenik

15th Place: Rhodesia/Ambrosia

16th Place: Hinote Gorre

17th Place: Shino

18th Place: Pi

19th Place: Scorpius

20th Place: Aihane

No Votes: Fidchell, Tarvos, Yata

Are you surprised by any of the results? I know I certainly was. I have to say I didn't expect Macha to come in at 4th place! (No offense to Macha fans) So if your peeved about your favorite not making it high enough than just ask and maybe I'll put up another popularity poll.

I know this chapter had a lot to do with robots. I'm sure you all know of the aerial drones the military uses as well as the cute robots such as ASIMO and others that the kind folks over in Japan are kind enough to entertain us with. I even saw on the MSNBC website the other day that they want to create a "fleet" of robofish to patrol the waterways, examine the environment and all that so my ideas aren't that farfetched now are they? But if your still not convinced then I have only one word for you...

BigDog

It's spelled exactly like that and if you go to YouTube or Popsci(dot)com and input that word in the search engine then you'll see a unique 4-legged robot like no other. Really...it gave me the shivers the first time I watched it.

Might I add that I changed my mind and took out about two and a half pages of material, moved it to the next chapter, and then wrote and entirely new section in the middle to make everything less awkward for you all. I know whats going to happen (as far as the next chapter goes at least) but none of you do and I realized just how confusing it would be as I was reading through it. You still might have some "what the heck?" moments but trust me when I say that this version is far more understandable.

Also I've been going back through previous chapters (I print everyone of them out once they've been posted) and realized that not only are they pocked with errors but now that things have progressed some explanations have changed and a couple things in previous chapters are no longer 100% accurate. I doubt that you fine people remember them all (I even forgot about them!) but they'll be fixed nonetheless. I've finished revising the first two chapters already and you'll see a small "x" next to them and any other chapters that have been revised. I don't know when, or if, I'll finish all of them but I'm making slow but steady progress. So feel free to go back and read through them if you like.

So please send me your reviews and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Also as of this chapter the name of the story has been changed/shortened. All according to plan my dear readers.

Until next time everyone!


	32. Tag Team

**AN: **And here we have another chapter! This is a continuation of the "nightmare" from the last chapter. Poor Iori's troubles aren't over just yet. So be patient, keep reading, and enjoy! Okay, enjoy it as much as you can anyway.

You'll also get to meet our next AIDA, Dendeira who is Innis counterpart and a little more information about A.I.'s in general will be revealed. So I won't keep you waiting any longer for this chapter. I was going to add another section but that can wait until Chapter 33.

The suspense and trouble is hardly over...and the ending might not be what you expect. And did you notice the quick update? I'm so awesome. :)

--

Timeline Update: Monday, December 2nd.

--

Chapter 32: Tag-Team

* * *

Abtrunniger slipped into the data space and quickly had to duck in order to avoid a stream of code that blasted by him. _Well, this place sure is busy now isn't it?_ he reflected as he moved over to a less crowded space. Glowing lines of different colors crisscrossed the entire area before exiting through holes in the walls as the data was transferred and directed to other or websites servers. The glowing data streams connected to larger nodes or orbs on one side before exiting through the other side and connecting to another orb and so forth before finally making a circuit or leaving the server area completely.

The cobra AIDA followed a couple data streams before finding a large node that was pierced like a pincushion. It had countless data lines going in and out of it. On the top it had a large orange shaft that rose up and exited through the ceiling. For Abtrunniger it was like reading a map or road sign. Everything was as plain as day to him.

Abtrunniger slithered closer and circled it curiously, _This orange shaft is a direct server connection. It leads straight to another system and isn't routed through countless towers, buildings, or other computers, _the AIDA considered as he leaned forward and examined the connection before using his tail to slice open a tear. Code rushed past at blazing speed and Abtrunniger hesitated for only a moment before diving in and up through the data before spilling out onto the attached server. Right away he heard the chatter of dozens...no..._hundreds_ of A.I.'s speaking to each other.

Looking around Abtrunniger could see that most of them were human, while others had wings, claws, tails, or other strange appendages. Most of them were paired off in groups, but a few were sitting off by themselves. Suddenly the cobra AIDA realized just how big and therefore obvious he was, but one of the A.I.'s had already spotted him just as he was about to try and change his appearance in order to hide.

"AIDA!" an A.I. in the form of a small boy shouted and almost at once all the conversations stopped as everyone turned to stare at him. Abtrunniger winced and scratched the back of his head with his tail. Rhodesia had warned him to stay out of sight hadn't she? She certainly wasn't going to be too happy if someone sounded the alarm and alerted everyone to his presence here.

Abtrunniger expected the A.I.'s to run and warn the humans, after all the WNC now required all A.I.'s to immediately report any sings of AIDA. Instead they all began to whisper urgently to one another.

"He's actually here!"

"Well, what do we say to him?"

"Is he really one of the Eight?"

"Abtrunniger? I certainly didn't expect to see you here..."

The last comment was directed towards Abtrunniger himself and the AIDA twisted around to see none other than Dendeira herself watching him curiously. She turned back to the other A.I.'s and waggled her fins at them, "Don't worry everyone, this is a friend of mine so there's no need to worry okay?" she assured them and most of the A.I.'s continued to stare for a moment before turning back to their previous conversations while a few continued to watch them with open fascination.

Dendeira was a greenish-blue fish type AIDA with white stripes running vertically across her body and also had huge webbed spines forming her dorsal fin. More webbed spines formed her pectoral fins and fanned out beautifully to the sides as she swam closer, trailing black dots around and behind her. Abtrunniger turned fully around so he could face her and put his most charming smile onto his face, but before he could say a word Dendeira sighed and shook her head at him.

"All right...what do you want?" she questioned and Abtrunniger pouted at that. "You don't need to accuse me like that...and who says I want anything from you?" he tossed back at her and Dendeira snorted in disbelief as she swam in a circle around him.

Dendeira eyed him critically as she spoke. "The time we spent together after Tri-Edge was destroyed may have been short, but it was more than enough time for me to get a handle on your personality you little miser," she said the last part with a ripple of humor in her voice so Abtrunniger knew she wasn't at all upset. The fish AIDA stopped back in front of him and waited calmly for him to speak up.

With a sigh the cobra AIDA dipped his head in a shrug as he explained himself, "I come in behalf of a human actually. I recently joined up with the Eight Phases of Morganna and their human partners. Their leader, a woman named Rhodesia, noticed that a very powerful AIDA has been infecting water robots and with the MAKO on display at the Osaka Robotics Convention and this special server set-up for A.I. Interaction and..." Abtrunniger paused for a moment as Dendeira picked up where he had left off, "...and she took a guess and figured that I would show up here? She must be very intelligent," she nodded in admiration as her companion continued.

Abtrunniger smiled and added, "You should have hid your trail a little better Dendeira," he chided, wagging his tail at her as he spoke. The fish-AIDA rippled her pectoral fins in dismissal, "Well, you've found me. Now if you have something you wish to ask then I suggest you hurry. I don't like to linger in once place for too long. No need to invite danger you know," Dendeira pressed and the cobra AIDA frowned at her insistence.

Puffing himself off Abtrunniger frowned at her. "I'm getting to it I'm getting to it!" he shot off before settling back, "Actually I _have_ come to ask for your assistance. These people I'm working for are very kind and they along with the Epitaphs are doing their best to stop a very skilled and elusive hacker. His name is Aihane and he's already managed to capture Fidchell and Corbenik along with countless AIDA fragments. They've been enslaved and forced to fight and harm others against their will; he tried to trap me as well, but I proved too much of a challenge for him," Abtrunniger smirked at the memory.

He saw Dendeira narrow her eyes in displeasure at those words and pressed his advantage. "Anyway, I'm not sure what he's trying to do, but it certainly can't be good. In fact he's _already_ tried to kill two Epitaph Users. A boy and a girl no older than 17 and 18... so Aihane clearly has no love for anyone but himself. I would hate to think of who he might attack next," Abtrunniger gave a slightly exaggerated sigh of dismay as Dendeira clicked her tongue at that information.

Dendeira's stripes flashed with anger, "That must be the one who's been chasing me! I wondered why AIDA fragments would attack me, but I guess I have my answer now....and you say he's even attacked some teenagers?" the AIDA shook her head and Abtrunniger knew that he had her now. Once her sympathy was aroused there was no stopping her. If Abtrunniger had fingers he would have flashed a V in triumph.

Clearing his throat Abtrunniger continued, "I joined these people because, frankly, they need the help. They're fighting as hard as they can, but this hacker seems to have a countless number of tricks up his sleeves. We can't just wander around on our own and expect to stay out of his way. Besides, our powers originally came from the Eight Phases so I feel that is only appropriate that we thank them by helping them fight the coming battles don't you?" he questioned innocently.

Dendeira frowned suddenly and the spiny ridge on her back straightened as she glared at him. "You always know just what to say in order to get others to do what you want don't you, Abtrunniger?" she demanded as her fins continued to ripple. "You know very well I can't resist a child in danger! And the thought of other AIDA being more or less enslaved is just heartbreaking...." she added as Abtrunniger resisted the urge to smirk victoriously. Instead he leaned forward to peer at her curiously.

Instead Abtrunniger leaned forward to peer at her curiously. "So you'll come with me then? I mean it never hurts to just take a look..._right?_" the cobra AIDA questioned and Dendeira shook her head in defeat. "Oh, fine! I'll come with you so stop with your little tricks snake charmer," she fired back and him and Abtrunniger feigned an affronted look as she turned to the other A.I. Scattered throughout the area. "Just let me say goodbye to some of them first. They were nice enough to keep my presence a secret so I should at least tell them where I'm going," Dendeira explained and Abtrunniger nodded as she "swam" off.

"Sure, I've got time to kill," Abtrunniger said agreeably and the cobra AIDA turned looked around at the wide variety of A.I.'s scattered throughout the area. All of them were Vagrant A.I.'s that had been captured and reformatted. Now they worked with people and engineers in all sorts of fields from the everyday to the unusual. Some watched over the Japanese magnetic rail systems to make sure they were running smoothly while others inhabited robots or machines.

"Trying to figure out what everyone here does?"

Abtrunniger looked down and saw an old man standing there on his right. The A.I. smiled and twisted a finger around his mustache as he looked up at the AIDA next to him. "You see those young ones right there? The group of children who look about 10 to 12 years old?" the man asked and Abtrunniger tilted his head and realized there really _were_ a quite a few young kids sitting around talking, but the man was pointing to one group in particular. "That group of kids over on your left are A.I.'s that have been chosen to operate the new dolphin model search and retrieval robots," the man continued as they happily showed off different pieces of data to one another.

"They have an abundance of energy and will work all day and night as long as the job is interesting. Of course they just _have_ to make everything into a game so that certainly helps. That particular group you see is used in the Dolphins, or Dolphin Recovery Divers as their officially called, and are used in treasure hunting voyages, coast guard missions, and cartographers use them and their respective robot bodies to help search and map areas of the ocean that people are unable to reach. Large fishing companies use them to locate elusive schools of fish as well," the old man explained with a slight chuckle and Abtrunniger nodded as he watched Dendeira say goodbye to a crowd of A.I.'s that were gathered around her.

Abtrunniger nodded to an older group of teenagers who spoke in more serious tones. "What about them?" he asked curiously, nodding to an older group that looked like they were in their late twenties or early thirties. The old man stroked his beard in thought as one of the girls looked over and waved to them. The man waved back before answering, "That group? Their A.I.'s that are are used in the MAKO robots. They have the responsibility of protecting beaches from dangerous animal such as sharks or swarms of jelly fish and they are given the job of examining waterways for any signs of pollution or environmental changes. They have to pay close attention to every detail and diligently report back any observations. They can't allow themselves to be distracted so their much more suited for that particular robot," the old man expounded and the cobra AIDA looked back down at him.

Abtrunniger tilted his head and raised an eye curiously, "And what about you? What job do you do?" he asked and the man smiled mischievously, "Myself? I've been partially reengineered and I now operate as a maintenance A.I. for the convention building. You know...working the air conditioner, the cameras, doors, working up all the schedules to make sure the patrons are properly accommodated and such. I'll leave the exploring and fighting to you younger A.I.'s thank you. We oldtimers are wise enough to take jobs where our robot or digital bodies aren't in constant danger," the old man chuckled at that before bowing to Abtrunniger and taking his leave.

The cobra AIDA watched him walk away and then turned back to see if he could figure out what the other A.I.'s did. There was a mixed group of middle-aged and young men and women in their twenties. Abtrunniger tilted his head and listened in on the conversation for a while.

"One of the electro-dynamo wheels in the mid-center is losing power every third cycle. Reki can't figure out where the problem is. Do you think the carrier lines might be corroded?" an A.I. with the appearance of a young man in his early twenties questioned the group around him.

"Hmm, I don't think that's it. When we get back I'll use my robot body to go in and examine all the connections to make sure its not just a loose wire caused by the vibrations and then we can go from there to see what the problem is. We've been having this happen a lot lately and we need to get you, or rather the Earth Giant back up and running as soon as possible so you can continue digging that tunnel passage," an A.I. in the form of a woman in her late thirties or early forties replied.

Abtrunniger nodded in confirmation before smiling to himself triumphantly,_ The younger ones operate specialized machines while the older A.I.'s are the mechanics and engineers who service those machines and robots, _he considered triumphantly as they continued to speak in tech jargon.

He heard a chuckle and looked back to see Dendeira hovering there in front of him. She waved one of her fins back towards the orange glowing server connection, "If your done staring now...?" Dendeira questioned and Abtrunniger sniffed at her, "I was not _staring_, I was gathering information for Rhodesia. Always helps to do some extra work for the boss," he responded as he moved aside and motioned for her to precede him.

Abtrunniger dipped his head politely, "Go ahead my lady. One of the Epitaphs and their human partner are at this convention so I want to hang around for a bit and make sure they don't get into trouble, but after that we're free to go," the AIDA commented and Dendeira nodded and slipped into the connection and down into the connected server. Abtrunniger turned and bowed politely to the watching A.I.'s, "Thank you very much for your hospitality, but now I must be going. If any of you would like to lend us your assistance then send an e-mail to CC Corp with Rhodesia G.U. Leader as the subject line and one of the Epitaphs will make sure that it gets to the right place. We would greatly appreciate anything unusual that you might find. Thank you very much!" he told them before heading after Dendeira.

* * *

Hinote Gorre grunted and used Painful Blow, but Corbenik dodged it and whipped his left arm around, the misshapen blade on the end curving around and slamming into her body. Crying out in pain she floated backwards as Gorre Taiga looked around to see what had happened.

"Now's not the time to be distracted Epitaph!" Aihane's triumphant voice warned them as he directed Fidchell to attack. A small orb formed between The Prophet's hands and he fired it off towards Taiga who turned around too late to deflect it.

Hinote could only watch helplessly as Taiga was hit. He struggled to pull himself free as symbols danced through the air above and below him before an explosion hid him from view. "Taiga!" she cried out, trying to get to him, but Corbenik quickly moved to block her.

Aihane was practically crowing with delight and it made Hinote sick, "Don't bother Gorre. This battle is mine! You may be good, but you can't take on both Corbenik and Fidchell at the same time," he sneered at them as Fidchell and Corbenik pulled back. This was the first time Hinote had personally seen them since the hacker had captured the two Epitaphs. Their movements were stiff and mechanical and she could see thin lines of data emanating from their chests and crisscrossing their bodies. It was clear that they were both being controlled and had no other choice but to fight.

_And that's what he wants to do to us! Aihane wants to capture us and break our bond with Saku...with Iori, _Hinote thought as she growled and used Bloom of Destiny to lift her "skirt" and throw it at Corbenik, but the blue and black Avatar merely knocked it away and then charged towards her with Devil's Verdict. He grabbed her by the throat and threw her down to the bottom of the data space before lifting his right hand and launching a huge fireball that exploded on contact and tore into her data. Before the digital smoke could clear, however, Hinote could hear the telltale signs of a Data Drain attack charging up.

Hinote groaned and rolled over. She tried to push herself back up, but she had already sustained too much damage. She fell back to the ground and looked over to see Taiga use Paradise Invite, furiously releasing bubbles to try and keep Fidchell at bay.

"Mental Vampirism!" Corbenik called out and Hinote turned back in surprise and gasped as fast-moving orb slammed into her and started draining her data and tearing into it at the same time. Pain rippled through her body and she could only scream as her body froze up and her remaining strength waned.

"Hinote hold on!" Taiga called out as Fidchell took off his mask and used Spinning Death to knock the last of the bubbles away. Gorre Taiga stopped running and the two large blue halves of his body slammed together around him as he prepared his attack.

"Hydro Jet!" Taiga called out. Water streamed and spun out around him before he shot off towards Fidchell like an bullet, but Aihane wasn't going to let things go that easily. Fidchell's mask started to glow and he vanished just as Gorre Taiga was about to hit him. Taiga kept going until he slammed into the other end of the Avatar Space, piercing partway through it. Quickly he pulled himself out and the two halves opened up as Taiga shook his head, apparently dizzy from the force of the impact.

Aihane's voice suddenly spoke up again, "So you could even break through the wall of the Avatar Space...that's impressive, but not effective if you can't hit anything," the hacker spat at him and Taiga waved his arm angrily, "Just you wait! I won't miss again!" he retorted knowing even as he spoke that it was futile.

Taiga and Hinote worked best as a pair and most of their attacks _required_ them to work as a team. One fought the enemy while the other jumped in with an attack the minute there was an opening. Aihane, though, had ambushed them on this server and had quickly used Corbenik and Fidchell to separate them so they couldn't use their infamous teamwork to get away.

"What did I say about being distracted?" Aihane asked and Taiga turned around to see Corbenik inches away from him. "Death Hammer!" The Rebirth called out, his body glowing light blue as he slashed away at Taiga's body over and over again with incredible speed, alternating between the sharp claws on his right hand and the blade on his left arm. Finally Corbenik pulled back and hooked his blade around Taiga's neck, using it to slam him down to the ground beside Hinote.

Fidchell floated down next to Corbenik and prepared his Quadra Halo attack. The four disks surrounding The Prophet lined up in front of him before each fired off a large orange beam off energy down towards Hinote Gorre and Gorre Taiga. When the smoke cleared it was obvious that Gorre was defeated. Large streaks of their data were now exposed and dripped down to the ground below them.

After a moment Corbenik floated down and grabbed Hinote's arm picking up her limp body and examined it. Aihane's triumphant laugh echoed throughout the Avatar Space as Hinote groaned and lifted her head. She tried to look at Corbenik, but he turned away in obvious shame.

"I'm sorry...we don't have any choice," the enslaved Avatar whispered softly as he held her up in the air.

For a moment Hinote felt kind of sorry for him, but it quickly turned to anger towards Aihane. _He did this! That hacker put something inside of us and he's just waiting for the right moment. Weakening us __until we're too weak to resist its power, _she thought as Fidchell crossed his arms and looked away as well. Hinote's body sagged in defeat; there was nothing more they could do.

"Not...like this..." Taiga's voice was weak, but filled with determination. All three Avatar's turned to find him climbing back up. He wavered by stayed upright and turned towards her, part of his face obscured by a large tear in his data. Slowly he backed away from Fidchell and Corbenik. "We're not just connected to Iori's mind anymore Hinote...we're both are connected with his body as well...if we're torn away from him while he's in this state...while he's so weak and barely hanging on..." his voice wavered and he stared at her firmly to make her understand what he was trying to say.

Hinote felt a stab of panic as she realized what he meant. She remembered clearly the day they had learned about Fidchell being captured by Aihane. Even back then the resulting shock had given Takumi a heart attack... and he was an adult. Iori was just a kid and all of the Epitaphs had progressed immensely since then. The way Skeith and Innis were healing Ryou and Chigusa's bodies were clear evidence of that.

Hinote shuddered at the thought, _He wouldn't survive the shock. If Aihane tears us both away from Iori then he won't be able to live for more than a few minutes, _sherealized and the Avatar felt a shiver go up her spine at that thought. The idea of losing Saku and Iori was something she didn't want to face, but now there were no other options left. There was no last minute trick they could some up with, no solution that would stop Aihane now and he knew it.

"It's no use Gorre. From now on your mine!" Aihane shouted triumphantly as Corbenik straightened suddenly, his grip on Hinote tightening abruptly as he received new commands. She closed her eyes and silently apologized to Saku and Iori for not being able to protect them.

"What the..AIDA?!" Aihane's shocked voice caught Hinote's attention and she snapped her eyes open as Corbenik suddenly dropped her to the ground. She looked to the left and saw a data tear open up in the Avatar Space as Abtrunniger suddenly popped his head out. Fidchell lifted his arms to attack, but the cobra AIDA bared his fangs and hacked up a dark glob of acid directly in the Epitaph's face. The Prophet screamed and fell backwards, furiously scratching at his face and eyes as he tried to wipe the acid away as it burned into his mask.

"Guten Morgen Aihane," Abtrunniger grinned mischievously as black dots danced around his body. Before the hacker could respond he dissolved into a writhing black mass. He shot towards Hinote Gorre, infecting her and taking full control of her internal systems. Taiga gasped and reached for her just as a data tear opened just above his head. He looked up and saw another AIDA appear from the hole, it was a greenish-blue color with white stripes running across its body. The AIDA was a some kind of fish type with huge webbed spines forming its dorsal fin. More webbed spines formed its pectoral fins as it swam through the air trailing black dots behind it.

Corbenik used Clinch Needle, but the AIDA darted out of the way before dissolving into a black mass the same way Abtrunniger had just done. It curved around and slammed into Taiga's body, infecting him and taking control of all his systems as well. Taiga doubled over as the AIDA overrode his data, but it took a moment to realize what it was doing. He could feel his connections with Iori dissolving and separating and when he looked over at Hinote he could tell that the same thing was happening to her.

"What are you doing?" Hinote demanded and Abtrunniger replied in a voice that was a mixture of frustration and sorrow. "I can't stop whatever Aihane is doing to you...but I _can_ keep him from succeeding in his attempt to kill Iori," he explained as he seamlessly broke every connection she had to Saku and Iori. Hinote shivered as she felt her link with the PC known as Bo suddenly disappear as if it had never existed at all.

"But you...how can you?" Hinote demanded as Aihane's loud cursing filled the air. Corbenik darted forward but AIDA tendrils shot out from both Gorre and ensnared him and Fidchell, keeping them from attacking.

"I'm an AIDA, an artificially intelligent data anomaly, a bug, some even call me a virus. I can do all sorts of things you Epitaph's couldn't do on our own," Abtrunniger responded and Hinote felt a sudden burst of energy before Iori's mind, his consciousness, and her innate awareness of his physical condition suddenly vanished, leaving an empty feeling where her bond with Saku and Iori had just been.

Abtrunniger detached from her systems at the same time as the other AIDA. They circled each other before the cobra opened a data tear and slipped through it. The spiny fish AIDA paused for a moment as Aihane sputtered with rage. "Dendeira how dare you!" he roared and it paused for a moment before give a disdainful sniff and darting through the hole after Abtrunniger.

Fidchell had recovered and shot towards the tear, but it closed before he could get there. He stopped and turned around as Aihane swore extensively and loudly. "That worthless excuse of an AIDA! She would rather side with that _snake_ Abtrunniger and those spineless _cowards_ at G.U.!" he spat as Corbenik picked Hinote up once again, more gently this time. Fidchell floated down and picked up Taiga as well.

The hacker was sputtering with indignation and was barely coherent. Finally Aihane got himself under control and growled bitterly. "Those AIDA...fine! They feel like wasting their abilities on saving that boy's life then fine! I don't care! Now that I have Gorre nothing else matters. I have no more reason to deal with that child Iori. Let that foolish woman now leading G.U. coddle him if she wants to!" Aihane snarled to himself as he opened a data tear in the floor of the Avatar Space just a few feet away.

Corbenik and Fidchell exchanged a glance. They didn't know what just happened, but it was clear that those two AIDA had done _something_ to ensure that Bo, or Iori rather, didn't die as a result of losing his connection with Gorre. Silently they drifted over and dropped down through the hole. Seconds later the Avatar Space disappeared and the normal server lines and connections reappeared as information was busily shuttled back and forth.

* * *

**AN: **And there you go. I didn't get any reviews from furious readers last time, but that might change this time around...

Hah! Bring me your worst readers I can take it!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry about that...I had a job interview last week and another one Wednesday afternoon hopefully at two different places so needless to say I'm very happy at the moment. :)

Anyway I'm really looking forward to anything and everything you have to say! So even if its a strange/weird/completely random thought than send it to me anyway! The trouble continues next chapter so hold on tight everyone because this roller-coaster isn't over just yet!


	33. Replaced!

**AN: **Here we go again! Last time Ryusabre asked me a very good question. Namely, if Abtrunniger and Dendeira are that powerful than why didn't they just take Gorre and get the heck out of there and away from Aihane? I had the whole response posted here but deleted it by accident...

So long reply short: Abtrunniger and Dendeira could have moved Gorre to a different server, but if they had done that then Iori would have been a sitting duck. There's nothing they could have done to get him out of harms way and Aihane wouldn't have hesitated to kill Iori in order to further weaken Gorre. After all, Aihane _needs_ the Epitaph's to complete his plan and ultimately capture Aura, what he doesn't need is a bunch of kids, teenagers, and young people getting in his way. As we've seen he is not at all averse to killing a person or two to get his way. Abtrunniger and Dendeira actually saved Iori's life by allowing Gorre to be captured. Once Aihane had the Avatar then he had no reason to bother Iori anymore and just went on his way as you saw.

So there you go! Hope that satisfies your thirst for answers! :)

And remember if there's something you don't understand then just ask me what the heck is going on and I'll clarify things for you (or just make up something on the spot that fits)!

I won't keep you any longer though! Read on and enjoy!

--

Timeline Update: Monday, December 2nd.

--

Chapter 33: Replaced?!

* * *

Chigusa stared at the Network Administration Bureau representative in shock as her mind registered what he had just said. She clutched the chopsticks in her right hand tightly before dropping them down next to the chazuke on her food tray. After several long seconds she managed to find her voice and sent a silent thank you to Innis for healing her vocal cords so quickly and thoroughly.

The man, a tight pinch-faced man in a crisp black suit, stared down at her as if this were the most natural thing in the world. He brushed a piece of nonexistent lint off his shoulder before speaking in a distinct, but still unplaceble accent, "Is there something wrong? This _is_ business you know, the NAB simply wants to make sure that this situation with CC Corp, the Epitaph Users, and the Avatar's themselves is being handled by the...." he paused for a moment to find the right word, "..._best_ people possible," he concluded crisply.

Chigusa's lips immediately dropped down into a frown, "Rhodesia **is **the best! How could you replace her!" she shouted back before remembering Dr. Ian Evans admonition to keep her voice level down so as not to strain her vocal cords. Innis had already that it was an unnecessary precaution, but Chigusa still tried to keep her voice down. Right now, however, this man in front of her was lighting a match to all of the frustration, anger, guilt, and pain inside of her.

The man stared down his nose at her in a hooded look, "I agree...Rhodesia is easily one of the best ambassadors, or representatives, that we have," he agreed slowly, hinting that there was something else going on. Chigusa fought the urge to jump off the hospital bed and shake him for answers. She didn't think of herself as a violent person, but all the things he had suddenly dumped in her lap was just to much to swallow.

Taking a deep breath, Chigusa calmed herself down... or tried to at least. "Then what's the problem? Why are you replacing Rhodesia?" she repeated and the man pursed his lips, "She is not being _replaced_ just yet and is on assignment as we speak. The NAB is merely appointing me in her place as they go through the process of reviewing her actions. We want to make sure that all the decisions Rhodesia has made thus far were... really for the greater good of all users of the network," he clarified and Chigusa pursed her lips as she tried to read between the lines

Instead of demanding clarification, Chigusa chewed on a large piece of gyoza and then another. She finished the dumpling off before finally asking her question, "What does that mean?" she questioned and the man was silent for a moment as he considered whether or not to answer her inquiry. He took off his expensive, high-end glasses and made a show of polishing them as he replied, "This is a very delicate situation and we can't have Rhodesia's decisions being swayed by friends or family. Not when the entire network and the people who live and die by it are on the line," he began and when Chigusa frowned at him he added, "Lets just say that some of the commissioners are worried that Rhodesia's...personal feelings and affection for a _particular _Epitaph User may have influenced her and they want to make sure their fears are unfounded. In the end I'm sure this will all turn out to be a mere formality," he assured her, but the young woman before him wasn't appeased in the slightest.

Chigusa wrinkled her nose as she thought about his words, "A certain..." she stopped as the realization suddenly dawned on her, "You mean Kaoru? But they're just friends," Chigusa told him and the man gave her a knowing if not sympathetic look, "From _his _point of view maybe," the man's steely facade cracked with a smile for a moment before he spun on his heel and walked away towards the door.

"Wait! When can I see Ryou?" Chigusa called out to him he stopped and looked over his shoulder with an expression that just _might_ have been pity or concern. Slowly he turned around to face her and Chigusa added, "I know that Ryou's mind is online and that Skeith is controlling his body. Innis has been keeping me up-to-date on things and we've even sent messages back and forth...but...but its just not the same..." she trailed of and stared down at her left arm which was no longer in a cast and wrist splint. Instead it had been tightly wrapped and placed in a sling. She had heard plenty of things, but she needed to _see_ him or at least Skeith, otherwise her fears would never be settled.

The man hummed at that. "I have not received any instructions regarding that matter," he paused for a moment and Chigusa looked up with such a forlorn look on her face that he turned away in mild discomfort and cleared his throat, "I'll see what I can manage to do though," he conceded and Chigusa clenched her jaw and forced herself to be satisfied with that response. This guy wasn't really that bad, a bit stiff perhaps, but she had certainly experienced worse at CC Corp.

As the man left the room Innis put her two cents in, _They'll let you see him. I'm sure they're dying to know what would happen if you two were to interact. Eventually their curiosity will get the best of them, _the Avatar assured her and Chigusa took some comfort in those words. Still there was something else that she had been wondering about.

Chigusa winced slightly and rubbed her wrist. In light of her drastic healing, Dr. Evans had carefully been lowering the dosage of her pain medication and explained that tomorrow he would be getting rid of it completely unless she specifically requested it.

Gradually the aching faded away and Chigusa closed her eyes for a moment as she addressed her Avatar. _Innis...how much do people on the outside know about this?_ she questioned and she could feel Innis confusion, _It would help if you were a little more specific my lady, _she stated and Chigusa clarified her statement. _About this situation with Ryou and me I mean. I've watched the news and its pretty much the same thing over and over, _she looked up at the TV hanging from the ceiling above her bed and sighed heavily.

Innis' voice took on a slightly distracted quality as she spoke, _The news networks are going wild with the information that CC Corp is using teenagers for their private security projects. They've also picked up the fact that the NAB has taken over the situation and is working closely with CC Corp. The media blackout surrounding this hospital doesn't help either, _she commented and then moved on to the actual rumors that had been flying around.

Innis skimmed through several articles, _There have been rumors about Aura, Morganna, and the original dothackers adventure with Kite and Blackrose. All of these rumors are starting to spread across The World's message boards and through other forums as well, _she explained before adding as an aside, _Rhodesia has assigned Tarvos and Reiko to take care of the rumors. We can't stop people from talking, so we might as well make sure they're spreading the truth, _the Mirage of Deceit sounded rather smug and Chigusa frowned and picked up her chopsticks so she could finish off her chazuke.

_So how detailed is the information that's spreading throughout the internet? _Chigusa wondered and the TV screen flicked on as Innis hacked the machine and took advantage of its internet link. The Avatar read off a couple of the thread titles, _Harold Hoerwick creates the Ultimate A.I.; Aura Goddess of The World; Dothackers protect the network by waking Aura, CC Corp fire cause by Aura resurrection experiment; Was the AIDA virus caused by Aura's disappearance?_ Innis broke off and scrolled down through several social networking news sites.

_I haven't seen any specific information about the bracelet Aura gave Kite, but there are a couple of screenshots of me and the other Eight Phases and images of Kite using Data Drain back in R1, _Innis commented bringing up a screenshot of her previous form. _They don't have all the details naturally. For example they don't know about the specifics of Project G.U. and their opinion of the Azure Knights has changed. Most view them as Vagrant A.I.'s, _Innis sounded rather proud of that fact and Chigusa smiled as well.

_On the other hand people accept that Ovan, or Masato Indou, was Tri-Edge or at the very least controlled the AIDA known as Tri-Edge, but now that he's disappeared there are conflicting opinions about why AIDA is acting this way. I haven't seen Aihane's name mentioned anywhere and a general poll shows that the major opinion people have of AIDA is that they've gone crazy because Tri-Edge was destroyed. They're calling Haseo, you, and the others the new dothackers, _Innis chuckled at that last part as Chigusa finished off the last of her chazuke.

Putting the bowl aside the young woman chewed on her last dumpling as Innis continued, _The overall picture is there, but when you get deeper into the picture things can get pretty fuzzy. Still I'd say that it's not a bad estimation of overall events. A few players in The World are managing to connect things, but not a lot of people are listening to them, which is about what you would expect, _The Mirage of Deceit summed up and Chigusa nodded to herself as she finished her meal and took a sip of her tea. The warm liquid went a long way towards soothing her sore throat.

Chigusa leaned back against the bed and relaxed, _So its only a matter of time before the truth gets out to everyone and not just a few video game players? Is that really a good thing? _she asked tentatively and got the sense that Innis was shrugging. _I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. What worries me is how people will respond when they learn about me and the other Eight Phases, _the Avatar's voice trailed off and Chigusa could sense her worry.

_Things will work out just fine as long as we're patient and keep working our hardest, _Chigusa said with forced optimism, but Innis wasn't fooled in the slightest and was quick to respond. _Skeith is taking excellent care of Ryou's body and Ryou himself is doing fine online. The only thing bothering him is the fact that he can't see you personally, _the Avatar had a trace of amusement in her voice as she said that and then quickly added, _And no I will __**not**__ transfer you online so you can see him. I'm not as skilled in that area as Skeith is and I don't want to risk anything happening to you, _Innis stated firmly and Chigusa deflated a little at that.

Satisfied Innis shut the TV off, _I'm going to go talk to Ryou for a bit, but you know you I'm always right here for you, _she promised and then lingered for a moment to see if Chigusa had anything else she wanted to say. When the young woman remained silent Innis left, her presence fading just a tiny bit.

Sinking down under the blanket, Chigusa sighed as she was left alone with her thoughts... thoughts that she had been careful to hide from Innis. She just couldn't stop blaming herself for Ryou's injuries. If it wasn't for her than Ryou would _never_ have gotten into this situation. It just seemed like no matter how hard she tried, she only ended up making things worse for everyone. The fact that she hadn't, and now couldn't, see him was only making things worse for her emotionally.

The news that Dr. Ian Evans had delivered about her being adopted had only brought Chigusa's self-esteem crashing down even lower. It was bad enough that her adoptive father, Ikari, had tried to kill her and her boyfriend, but there was also the fact that adopted mother had walked out on her.

Chigusa rolled over and squeezed her eyes shut, _Am I so worthless that even my __**real **__mother and father didn't want anything to do with me? _she swallowed hard as tears welled up in her eyes. Quickly the young woman shook her head and suppressed those feelings as best she could. Innis could always sense her feelings no matter what the situation and would come rushing back if she felt her User's distress.

_Ryou would chew me out if he knew I was thinking of myself like this, _Chigusa let out a shaky sigh as that thought only served to bring her down even more.

* * *

Masato frowned and leaned away from the computer screen and rubbed his eyes, he tried to refocus but when his vision doubled he knew it was time to quit. Sighing in frustration he saved the e-mail and shut the laptop down. Once the machine clicked off his headache faded to a dull ache that was far more bearable. He had finally worked up the courage to try and send his little sister an e-mail, but it wasn't going very well. Masato could now tolerate being around technology such as cell phones, computers, and other various machines, but only for short periods of time. It didn't take long before side affects started to creep up. Headaches, muscle cramps, double vision, even nausea and exhaustion were just some of the ailments that afflicted him.

_Aina's message will just have to wait until tomorrow. I've had enough for today, _Masato decided as he flexed his left hand experimentally. Instantly pain shot up through his palm and wrist as his muscles protested the extra movement.

"Is your hand bothering you?"

Masato looked up and saw Shino standing there next to the kitchen table watching him. He nodded slowly and she pulled out a chair and sat down. Gently Shino took her hand in his and began deftly massaging it; due to his muscle and coordination troubles she had become quite good at relaxing his stiff and aching joints.

"Thanks," Masato said gratefully as Shino helped sooth the twinge of pain darting through his hand. Leaning back slightly Masato relaxed and looked around at the empty kitchen. Nareo was on a short vacation to visit her son and grandkids farther north and had even taken Raiden and Mera with her as well. So at the moment it was just Shino and him at the sprawling forest mansion. He personally wasn't much of an animal person, but he didn't like seeing Shino upset; she had really become attached to the two rottweilers and clearly missed them.

Masato remained in thought for several minutes before turning back and watching Shino she started to massage his other hand. Her eyes were dark and her expression worn. These past couple days he had heard her moving around late at night and early in the morning so he knew that she had been staying up and apparently hadn't been getting much sleep. Masato had been around Shino long enough to know when something was bothering her, but he didn't think she was the type of person who would lose sleep over things.

"What's wrong?" Masato suddenly questioned and Shino blinked in surprised at the question. A flash of worry and guilt crossed her face before she looked away from his inquiring gaze. He could see her swallow nervously before speaking, "I'm...its nothing," Shino whispered jerking her hand away from his. It was obvious she was lying, probably to keep him from worrying about her or their situation.

Shino was doing her best, but Masato could tell that taking care of him was still putting her under a lot of stress. Some of her Depression symptoms were starting to flare up again despite the medication she was on and no matter how hard she tried to hide it, he could still see the effect it was having on her daily.

Masato narrowed his eyes slightly and stared her down until Shino started to fidget uncomfortably under his gaze, but he could see her jaw set stubbornly. Masato frowned at that response, "Something's obviously bothering you so why can't you just tell me what it is?" he questioned and Shino stood up with anger written all over her face. "Its nothing! So just drop it already!" Shino blurted and nearly knocked the chair over as she stood up.

Shino stalked out of the room and Masato stared after her with open confusion. When she was gone he sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. _So much for trying to help, _Masatoconsidered, now thoroughly mystified by her behavior.

_Is something really bothering her? Or is it just that her Depression symptoms are flaring up again because of the stress she's under? _Masato rubbed his head and decided to shelf the matter for now. More than anything he just wanted to take a couple pain pills to soothe his headache and then go take a nap. Trying to dissect Shino's behavior was just too much for him to handle right now.

Leaving the laptop on the table, Masato went off to find some Tylenol or Advil.

* * *

Shino had a frown etched on her face as she walked through the house and headed outside. She sat down on the edge of the deck and silently stared out at the forest. It was late afternoon and would only be a couple hours before the sun started to set.

The young woman sighed heavily and looked up at the clouds lazily drifting by overhead,"I suppose I went too far back there didn't I?" she mumbled to herself. Shino looked over her shoulder towards the sliding door, "I started off by being nice and trying to massage his hands and instead I ended up yelling at him and stomping off for apparently no reason...ugh, he must be so confused right now..." she blanched and dropped her head into her hands at the thought of her behavior. It was true that she had been stressed out lately and worried that someone might be stalking her or watching the house, but that was no reason to snap at Masato. It would have been better if she just told him the truth. There was no reason to blow up at him the way she had.

With a loud exhale Shino closed her eyes as a gentle breeze swept through the trees, she shifted closer to the wooden post next to her and rested her head against it, feeling fatigued all of a sudden. Shino pursed her lips and rubbed her forehead; she had been really stressed out and her depression symptoms were starting to flare up again. Last night she hadn't slept a wink and now she felt like she could crawl in bed and not wake up for a month.

Ever since they had come back from the veterinarian Shino had been irritable, restless, easily annoyed, and had trouble focusing and sleeping. The thought that someone was watching them or stalking them had turned her into a nervous wreck and with Raiden and Mera gone she was jumping at every shadow. If the guard dogs were here Shino wouldn't have worried as much because they were constantly on watch and their behavior would alert her to any danger.

_I'll call Rhodesia later and have her move us somewhere else. Its just too much of a risk to stay here anymore..._ Shino reflected as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Innis was still in the special area she had created to hold Ryou's consciousness and keep him hidden while Skeith did his work. Haseo was currently awake and as irritated as ever at the fact that he couldn't see Chigusa. Innis could understand his frustration but they just couldn't take any unnecessary risks. It wouldn't take long for Skeith to completely heal Ryou's body and until that process was completed Haseo would just have to stay here.

The Mirage of Deceit was in her human/PC form right now and sitting in a chair in front of a large computer screen that was currently displaying various information and websites. She impatiently tapped her hands and turned her attention back to the monitor in front of her as she waited for the password hacker to come up with the right combination. Once Innis was in she would have full online access to all of Chigusa's adoption records and from there she could track down her User's real parents, along any siblings she might have.

The Epitaph rubbed her head and glanced down at the small timer at the bottom of the screen. _10 minutes...I know that's not a lot of time, but... still how long are these things supposed to take? _Innis wondered with a mild streak of irritation. She was just as surprised as anyone to learn that Chigusa was adopted, but then again she hadn't really had any reason to examine her User's medical records before now. A quick look through them, however, had quickly turned up a label marked: Adopted. Further information not for private or expressly medical use. Special permission needed to view adoption information. 

Nowadays most medical information was kept electronically so a little digging had turned up a website where the data she was looking for was kept. Unfortunately it had a 25-letter password encryption and Innis couldn't bypass it without setting off all sorts of alarms and activating numerous firewalls that would immediately shut her out and alert company employees. Still having to wait like this when the information she wanted was so close at hand was _really_ trying her patience.

Finally a small chime announced the password hacker had done its job. A jumble of letters, symbols, and numbers flashed green before the database opened up for her to peruse. Clapping her hands triumphantly Innis leaned forward and with a few simple gestures inputted the name _Chigusa Kusaka_ into the search box. Moments later the results popped up showing dozens of names. Innis quickly scanned through them and dismissed those that hadn't been adopted in or from Japan along with those who had been taken out of the country.

"Narrow results. Adoptive father: Ikari Kusaka," Innis stated vocally and all of the names disappeared except for one. _Right there, _she smiled and opened the file. Immediately a picture of a small child no more than a year old showed up on screen along with personal information.

Birth Name: Narina Evangeline Evans

Birthplace: San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California

Siblings: Akina Ren Evans, Kisho Yasuo Evans

Adoptive Guardians: Ikari and Azarni Kusaka

Residence: Chiba, Chiba District, Japan

Wedged in between _Siblings _and _Adoptive Guardians_ was the label entitled _Birth Parents_ and the name beside it nearly stopped Innis' digital heart. There were two names, but it was the very first one that captured all of her attention.

_Ian Evans! _Innis jumped up from her chair and rubbed her eyed before leaning forward and staring at the screen once again in disbelief. _But that's...that's the same name as Chigusa's attending physician! _The Avatar shook her head and tried to sort things out. Was it really going to be this easy?

Taking a deep breath Innis brought up a picture of the birth parents and while the mother was indisputably Japanese, the father Ian Evans was obviously an American... the same as Chigusa's doctor. Innis was there listening when the physician had explained to Chigusa about his wife leaving and taking his twins and young daughter with her to Japan, things fit together too perfectly for this to just be a coincidence.

Quickly Innis dug deeper and found that Chigusa's siblings Akina and Kisho were indeed listed as both being eight years old at the time the records were compiled; they were twins. A smile blossomed across Innis face as she let out a sigh of relief.

_Chigusa's real father, Ian Evans, is the same man that's been taking care of her in the hospital! Her siblings are probably still there in Japan as well, _Innis couldn't wait to tell her User the good news. She would be so happy to hear the news. With a clap of her hands Innis pulled out of the system and turned to leave, but before she could take a step she noticed something out of the corner of her vision.

Turning to get a better look, Innis only had a split second before she realized what it was....black dots.

"AIDA...?" Innis gasped in surprised as the data anomaly attacked.

* * *

* * *

Before Shino was fully awake, the smell of smoke was choking her airway. The young woman jerked awake and climbed to her feet, stumbling away from the source of the smell before falling to her knees. Her lungs were burning and the thick cloud of smoke billowing around the house immediately sent her coughing and hacking. Shino forced herself back up to her feet and put an arm over her nose and mouth as she hurried away from the mansion.

When Shino was far enough away to breathe a little easier she turned back to see orange and red flames reaching for the sky and crawling farther across the roof. The fact that the building was mostly wood combined with the lightly blowing breeze only served to accelerate the pace of the fire.

On the news and documentaries firefighters always mentioned how quickly fires could spread and that it only took a couple of seconds for a room to be completely engulfed, but Shino had never really appreciated that fact until fire was racing out of control, but there was another strange, faint smell that tickled Shino's nostrils, something that smelled _very_ familiar.

_Gas! _Shino gasped and covered her mouth as she realized what the smell was and why the fire was growing so rapidly. She clearly remembered Nareo telling her that the house was hooked up to natural gas lines.

_Did someone cut the lines or flood the house with gas and then start a fire? _Shino heard a deep groan as a section of the roof cracked and caved in. She could hear a whoosh of air like someone taking a breath before a fireball exploded out of the hole and mushroomed towards the sky, lighting up the night so brightly that Shino had to look away.

Backing farther away from the blaze, Shino looked around and abruptly realized she had no idea where Masato was. She looked around wildly but couldn't see him anywhere, _Where is he? He did get out didn't he? _Shino knew she was starting to panic and tried to calm herself down. He might simply be on the other side of the house; she needed to look around before jumping to conclusions.

Satisfied with her reasoning Shino endured another coughing fit before hurrying around to the front of the mansion. When she came around the corner the first thing she noticed was the large white van parked in the driveway. The side door was open, but from this distance she couldn't see anything inside. The next thing she realized was that Masato was nowhere to be found, but _someone else _was.

It was the same guy she had seen in the parking lot at the veterinarian's office. Standing by his side were three huge dobermans, probably the same ones that he'd had before. Now she could see that he couldn't be much older than she was.

He stared at her calmly, almost too calmly. The same uneasy feeling as before crept up into Shino's heart as the man pointed at her. "Your the ones! The one's who are doing this to me! Once your gone...once your gone they'll go away! Once your dead they'll finally leave me alone!" he shouted at her and Shino frowned at that and took a step back as he gesticulated wildly. There was something wrong with him, she could see it in his face. The guy had a wild, crazy light to his eyes and he constantly looked around as if he were afraid that someone was following him.

"Aihane said so! And they agree with him! Your the cause of all this and when your gone I'll be normal again!" he yelled again before dropping his arm in a sharp command. The doberman's leapt into action and charged towards her, fangs bared and teeth flashing in the light of the flames.

Shino stumbled backwards and fell. Jumping back up to her feet she had only one thought, _Weren't there four dogs? _she wondered before a heavy weight slammed into her back and dragged her down the ground. Shino managed to roll over and her arms instinctively went up to her face for protection as one of the doberman's latched onto her arm and tore into it savagely, trying to get to her face for a killing blow. She could feel another set of fangs pierce through her pants and she jerked her arms back in reflexive surprise.

Immediately the doberman right above her ducked its head and latched it jaws around Shino's throat.

* * *

**AN:** Okay I was looking through FF net the other day and came up with the idea of putting up a forum where you can discuss the story, the characters, the Epitaphs, and anything else you like. What do you think? Interested? If someone says yes then I'll go ahead and put it up for you all to enjoy. :)

Listed below are the names of Chigusa's family, her adoptive mother and siblings and what their names mean. Don't forget, her sister is Akina Ren Evans, her brother is Kisho Yasuo Evans, and her adoptive mother (the one who up and left) is Azarni Kusaka.

Akina—Spring flower

Ren—Water lilly

Kisho—One who knows his own mind

Yasuo—Peaceful one

Azarni—A thistle flower

I know I drop a major "surprise!" bomb on you all with Rhodesia being temporarily replaced...keyword being T-E-M-P-O-R-A-R-Y she will be back soon enough. Did anyone else notice that she was more than a little friendly with Kaoru? Rhodesia tries her best to hide it. Professional relationships and all that. :)

One of my lovely readers sent me a PM asking for a Timeline of this story and I am more than happy to provide! Putting it here would take up too much space and would interrupt the flow of the story so instead I placed it on my Profile Page for you all to read, peruse, and generally enjoy! It has major and a few minor events that have happened throughout the story in the, general, order that they have occurred. So please go over and take a look!

Anyway, that's about all for now! So please go down and hit that pretty button and review! Also let me know if you want a forum and I'll put it up for you in a jiffy! Until next time everyone!


	34. Dogs Unleashed

**AN: **I'm back! Did you miss me? The drama from last chapter continues as Shino and Masato are attacked and the other Epitaphs have finally discovered the special area Innis created, but will they arrive in time to keep her from being possessed by AIDA?

Also I've put up a forum so you can discuss the chapters, the story, the characters and pretty much anything related to the story that you want! So please check it out and leave a few comments.

So without further ado I'll let you fine readers get on with the story!

Timeline Update: Monday Night, December 2nd.

Chapter 34: Dogs Unleashed

* * *

Shino could feel the doberman's jaws lock around her throat as it tried to suffocate her. The smoke filled air combined with the dogs heavy breathing and tight jaws was quickly smothering the young woman. She punched and pounded the doberman's head furiously to get it to back off, but the canine refused to budge. Shino gasped breathlessly as another doberman latched onto her leg, its fangs digging into her ankle. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two of the other dogs go running off around the right side of the house, probably to take out Masato.

People always said that your life flashed before a person's eyes when you thought you were going to die and right now Shino believed that wholeheartedly. Dozens of memories, images, and thoughts danced through her head in seconds.

_How are my parents going to take the news? Will Ryou and his friends ever take down Aihane? _Shino wondered as she tried once again to pry open the dogs jaws. One thought in particular, however, was foremost in her mind. Shino managed one final gasp of air before the doberman's muzzle tightened to the point where she couldn't inhale at all. The dog near her foot started to whip its head back and forth, tearing into skin, muscle, and bone. Pain flashed through her body and Shino reflectively tried to pull her leg away, which only served to increase the damage. The young woman kicked at the doberman but doggedly held on.

One thought in particular was foremost in Shino's mind though, _I never told Masato how much I love him, _she thought as spots started to cloud her vision. Her hazy reverie was suddenly broken by a series of loud, familiar barks. Shino's eyes widened and she looked around to see if she had heard right.

_Raiden? Mera?_ Shino wondered as the two doberman's attacking her suddenly let go and lifted their heads. The one closest to her head snarled and lowered its own neck just before Raiden himself slammed into it. The other doberman backed off and Shino stared in disbelief as the rottweiler viciously tore the opposing dog apart with savage intent. She had seen animal shows and documentaries on TV about animals fighting or hunting, but it was _completely_ different to see it happening firsthand and just a foot or two in front of her face.

Seconds dragged by like hours, but despite this it quickly became apparent that Raiden had the advantage. The rottweiler had been specifically trained to ward off intruders, thieves, gunmen, and any other possible assailant. He and his sister Mera had gone through countless hours and months of hands-on-training so they would be able to protect and watch over their human charges.

The opposing doberman was obviously being overwhelmed and tried to keep its head down to protect its throat, but Raiden used brute force and sharp cunning to both evade the opposing canine's snapping jaws and dart in with attacks of his own. Dust flew up everywhere as the dog suddenly slipped and brought its head up, exposing its long, slender neck.

Raiden's lips curled back and he launched himself forward and grabbed the doberman's neck in his powerful jaws, forcing the canine down to the ground. The dog scrabbled and jerked its body back and forth, trying to get free, but the rottweiler wasn't taking any chances. Shino stared in horrid fascination as Raiden pinned the doberman before snapping his head to the side, viciously twisting the dogs neck and killing it with a single blow.

Shino instantly felt sick and fought back waves of nausea as Raiden whirled and turned on the other doberman who had just been standing there unsure of whether to jump in or wait to attack. Now it looked down at its dead companion and decided to cut its losses and run. It moved to escape but Raiden moved with lightning speed and snapped his fangs down on the doberman's back leg, breaking it and disabling the canine's movement.

Sensing that it couldn't get away the dog turned to try and defend itself, but Raiden darted aside and used his powerful forelimbs to knock aside the doberman's charge. Raiden latched onto its neck and with a sharp resounding _crack_ he snapped it just like he had with the other doberman. The dog sagged and crumpled to the ground lifelessly. The rottweiler stood there for a moment, sides heaving more from adrenaline than exhaustion. Another second later he dropped the canine and turned back to Shino who was now sitting up.

Shino inhaled sharply as Raiden strode her way. Nareo had told her from day one that the two rottweilers had been trained and raised exclusively as guard dogs, but seeing Raiden in action wasn't something she was entirely prepared for and seeing him act this way scared her to death.

Raiden stopped and lowered his head to sniff at her bloody, injured leg before taking a few steps closer and staring at her with unnerving intensity. The young woman swallowed hard and managed to find her words.

"Raiden?" Shino's voice came out in a rather shrill squeak and instantly the rottweiler bared his teeth, making her jump and scramble backwards as best she could with her torn up ankle.

Snarling deep in his throat, Raiden stepped closer to her and looked around the yard, scanning every visible inch before his eyes landed on the young man standing next to the van—the stranger who both owned and had let loose the four doberman's so they could attack her and Masato. By the time Shino realized what was going on in Raiden's head it was too late.

She thought that he had been responding to her fear, but she was only half right. Raiden had started snarling because he thought someone was threatening Shino and upon seeing the strange man standing mere yards away the canine had, rightly, concluded that he was the one his human charge was afraid of.

Lowering his head the rottweiler took off like a shot towards the man who started looking about frantically for cover before turning and trying to climb back in his van. He managed to grab the handle and open the passenger side door before Raiden got to him.

Sliding to a stop the canine opened his jaws and latched onto the man's foot. Shino could hear the guy screaming in pain and fear and saw his arms flapping wildly for purchase as Raiden physically dragged him back out of the van and to the dirt. She could see him pull something out of his belt and heard the sharp cracks of gunfire as the guy fired off several shots before hitting the ground. Right away he was seized upon by the guard dog. Raiden fell upon the guy and tore into anything and everything his nails and fangs could grab. His growls and barks rose up over the roar of the flames as he literally savaged the man.

Shino's brain finally started moving again and she climbed to her feet, barely managing a step before collapsing back to her knees. "Raiden!" she called out weakly as she pulled herself back up, her lungs were filled with smoke and her chest heaved and stung with every breath she tried to take.

"Raiden stop!" Shino managed to scream this time, but wasn't sure if the rottweiler heard her or not over the surrounding noise. The distinct sound of helicopter rotors and sirens was floating over the trees and coming closer every second.

Glancing up at the sky Shino realized for the first time just how _big_ this fire was. The lack of strong winds had kept embers from flying off and igniting the surrounding trees, but even still the bright glow and smell of smoke would have been plainly evident from town.

_What is that command again? _Shino wracked her brain and the word finally came to her. "Raiden enough!" she ordered in a loud, firm town of voice and the canine froze, his paw firmly placed on the man's chest and his jaws locked around the guy's neck.

Limping closer, Shino called out again, "Raiden that's _enough_!" she ordered and the dog let go and reluctantly backed up, standing just close enough to attack again if he needed to. The man moved about weakly, but Raiden growled in warning and he froze.

Shino limped up to him and looked around the yard and driveway carefully before turning her attention back down to the man who had attacked her. Putting as much steel into her voice as she could, she said, "Just stay put until the police get here or I'll have my guard dog attack you again," she let her threat hang in the air and the man nodded quickly to show he would comply.

Satisfied Shino kicked the gun out of the way before hurrying over to Raiden who was panting heavily and bleeding from at least 5 gunshot wounds in his chest and neck. Leaning down she ran her hands over his body, "Oh, you poor guy. Just hold on, we'll get you some help okay?" she said in a gentle voice and for once the rottweiler didn't complain when she pet him.

A spotlight blazed down from the sky and Shino looked up to see a helicopter hovering about her, a camera pointing down at her out of the side. Lifting her arm she waved it to get their attention and pointed to the man on the ground next to her and then to the fire. There was no way of telling whether or not they understood, but it was worth a shot at least.

_Lets just hope they realize I live here and don't shoot me or something, _Shino considered with a mixture of relief and nerves. She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Too tired to be afraid and too weak to feel anything more than irritation towards the guy who had attacked her.

The wailing of fire truck and police sirens caught Shino's attention and she turned around to see two firetrucks, an ambulance, and two police cars pull up and spread out across the large swath of asphalt in front of the now flaming mansion. Firefighters poured out of the trucks and began hooking up water hoses and turning knobs on the side of the trucks as they hurried to pour water on the fire.

Several police climbed out of the car and hurried over to Shino, hands resting on their pistols just in case. They stopped short when Raiden lowered his head and rumbled in warning. Shino quickly put her hand on the back of his neck.

"Raiden stand down," she ordered and the dog sniffed in disdain, but sat down obediently.

Satisfied the police came closer to her, "Hello, there ma'am... is that the man who set this fire?" one of them questioned as he glanced down at her mauled foot. "Did he attack you?" he added and two of the police moved to secure the stranger who immediately started screaming out objections.

Raiden growled angrily and Shino put an arm around his neck to hold him back as she addressed the policeman. Nodding in confirmation she replied, "Yes, I was trying to get away from the fire for my own safety when I saw him standing there. He started yelling at me and then let loose his four doberman's to attack me," her voice wavered slightly as she shifted weight off her injured foot.

Taking a deep breath Shino continued, "That's when...when my dog here came and protected me. He helps guard the house and surrounding yard," she explained as the police man wrote down everything she was saying on a notepad. A couple others had handcuffed the man, who was still yelling, and were dragging him off to the ambulance.

"Its their fault! Aihane said so! Once their dead it'll be all over! Once I kill them they'll finally go away and leave me alone!" he shouted as his voice rose to a frantic pitch. The police hauling him off exchanged a look and one of them raised an eyebrow. "They who is _they_?" she asked carefully and the young man turned on her with wild eyes. "The voices! The voices in my head! There are eye in the walls, in the trees, they're everywhere watching me! Aihane told me that if I killed them then everything would get better!" he was nearly in tears and Shino felt a stab of pity for him, it was starting to become clear that he had... problems... problems that hacker Aihane had evidently exploited.

Humming at that the police rolled their eyes and started dragging him off once again, "Uh, huh, yeah, well, we'll just get you down to the police station in a nice secure cell where you can't get out and no one else can get in to hurt you. Then we'll search for Aihane and see what _he_ has to say about all this," she said calmly as they moved toward one of the police cars.

In the distance Shino could hear more radio chatter as someone requested another ambulance to come to the scene.

Another woman pulled on some gloves and picked up the gun the young man had dropped. She took out a small device and a black light flashed over the gun, illuminating several fingerprints. The machine gave a small beep and the light shut off. The woman stood back up and nodded to the other police.

Nodding in acknowledgment the man looked up, "We got a call from a woman in town, said she was the housekeeper here and saw a strange orange glow coming from this building..." he began and paused to motion behind him.

For the first time Shino noticed Nareo's personal vehicle parked at the far end of the house almost to the garage—the doors on the left side were wide open. A short scan of the area revealed the woman's diminutive form. Nareo was talking to one of the police man and waving her hand around towards the raging fire.

_Of course. Nareo must have come home early and when she opened the car doors Raiden and Mera jumped out automatically, _Shino considered, gently stroking Raiden's fur as a paramedic checked the dog's bullet wounds and glanced up at her with a reassuring smile, "It looks like he'll be okay, but we need to get him to a professional veterinarian as soon as possible. We'll call them so they can pick him up and can extract the bullets as soon as possible," the paramedic explained.

Shino relaxed a little at that and then turned back to the policeman, "What about Masato? I don't know whether or not he made it out okay," she said plaintively and the policeman frowned at the name and she clarified herself, "He's 26 years old and 6' 2" with glasses and black hair," the young woman told him and the policeman nodded and grabbed his chattering walkie-talkie and spoke into it.

"We have a male on the grounds somewhere. Age 26, height 6'2", please confirm whether anyone has seen this male or not? Over." he stated and then waited for a response.

"Confirmed. We have him over here on the side of the house. He was attacked by two doberman's and is pretty torn up, but he's conscious, lucid, and responding to our questions. There are two dogs here and it looks like they protected him from further harm and killed one of the two doberman's that attacked him. The other is loosing blood fast and probably won't survive the next few minutes," a voice clearly responded as a paramedic moved to help Shino down to the ground so she could sit comfortably as her ankle and foot was examined.

Shino frowned upon hearing that. _Two dogs? But there should only be Mera there unless..._ she stopped and shook her head. There would be enough time to wonder about that particular detail later.

"So he's okay? He's safe now?" she urged and the policeman nodded curtly. "Seems like it We have a couple paramedics here who will be able to look at him and there's another ambulance on the way to take you both to the hospital," he responded affirmatively and Shino decided that she would just have to be content with that.

Looking around the yard, Shino saw that the firefighters seemed to be getting the fire under control.

On the other hand there apparently were four paramedics here at the moment. One was back at the ambulance taking care of that weirdo who had attacked her, while another was right here taking care of her and Raiden. The others must be taking care of Masato.

Shino finally relaxed and tried not to flinch as the paramedic finished his examination. "It looks pretty deep. You're going to need stitches, tight wrappings, and good irrigation to keep this from getting infected. We'll check the tags on those dogs to see if they've had rabies shot lately," he stated and Shino winced at the images those words brought up, but ultimately nodded as he helped her to her feet.

Raiden stood back up and narrowed his eyes suspiciously, not entirely sure whether these people were okay or not. Shino sighed at his reaction but was too exhausted to do anything about it. All she wanted was to see Masato and assure herself that he was really okay.

Another ambulance had pulled up and the paramedic assisting Shino helped her over to the vehicle as a couple more people jumped out of it. They quickly took over and helped her into the back and onto the gurney before they started the process of carefully and gently cleaning Shino's injury. A quick examination of her neck revealed that she wasn't bleeding and there weren't any puncture marks.

The sound of happy barking distracted Shino and she looked up to see Mera wheel around the corner, her short, stumpy tail wagging happily. She couldn't tell if the rottweiler was bleeding, but from the way Mera was wiggling back and forth she seemed to be doing well enough. The canine spotted Raiden standing off to the side, held back by one of the policemen, and she rushed over to her brother and began sniffing him all over. Raiden for his part just stood there stoically as his sister circled him.

"I leave for a couple days and you two manage to tear the place apart AND set it on fire."

Startled, Shino turned to her left and saw Nareo standing there at the corner of the ambulance with a large german shepherd sitting next to her.

_That must be the other dog the police mentioned, _Shino realized as the housekeeper eyed the young woman critically. Nareo stared at her for a couple more seconds before motioning to the strange dog next to her. "My son is a policeman and he bought this puppy and has been training it for me as a guard dog. Thought these grounds were too big for just Raiden and Mera. His name is Nezumiiro," she explained as the german shepherd wagged his tail in response. His fur was wet and sticking up in several places—clear evidence that he hadn't made it out unscathed.

Nareo's voice brought her attention back to the situation at hand, "When we pulled up I opened the doors and Raiden tore around one side while Mera and Nezumiiro here dashed off to the other side to help Masato...good thing I came when I did or you _both_ might be dead," Nareo sniffed at that and Shino was about to respond when a blue and orange truck from a nearby veterinarian's office pulled up.

The paramedics attending to Shino reluctantly let her go so she could calm down Raiden and Mera. The animal control officer muzzled them and Nezumiiro as well just to be safe and then put the three dogs into special cages in the back of the van. Shino refused to let them go, however, until they and the policeman swore to her that "no, they won't be punished. Yes, we'll take good care of them. They'll be quarantined for a couple days is all. They were just protecting you so there's no reason to take them away or euthanize them if that's what your worried about," and so on.

Shino and Nareo both watched as the van pulled off and the policeman questioned her once again about the fire and how it might have been started. Shino explained her theory that the man who had attacked her had filled the house with gas and then ignited it somehow. The policeman seemed mildly surprised and smiled with clear satisfaction as he wrote that down as well, "That's what the firefighters think as well and they've managed to get the gas lines shut off as well. Its going to take a while longer, but they should have this fire knocked out soon," he offered and Shino thanked him for his help as the paramedics continued to work on her foot.

The other police members were milling around collecting evidence and searching the white van that crazy guy and his doberman's had driven up in. They were carefully examining the dead dogs as well.

Shino turned back to Nareo worriedly, "Where's Masato? Shouldn't he have been brought around here already?" she wondered trying to lean forward to see if she could spot anything, but the paramedic pushed her back. "You need to hold still ma'am. We want to get your injury cleaned up and wrapped before heading down to the hospital," she ordered and the young woman bit back a reply and obediently settled back on the gurney.

Nareo's eyes glimmered with amusement, "Oh, don't worry about him. Your _boyfriend _is doing just fine. I spoke to him just now and he said that he'd gone outside to clear his head when the fire ignited. He saw the flames and hurried back to see what was going on when those dogs attacked him," she patiently explained before adding, "He grabbed a large branch that was lying nearby and used it as a club to beat them off," her lips pulled up into a smile at that and she patted the german shepherd next to her on the head.

Not satisfied with that answer the young woman set her jaw, "Can I _see_ him? I need to know that he's okay," she insisted and Nareo frowned seriously, "Just worry about yourself girl. You've got that leg and a possible infection to worry about... and don't think you won't have some nasty bruises on those pretty arms and legs of yours either," she shot back and Shino wanted to scream in frustration. Instead she stared at the woman, silently seething. Seeing the stubborn look set on her face Nareo sighed and shook her head.

The paramedics smiled at each other and one spoke up, "It's really no problem, but just a minute or two and then we _have_ to get you to the hospital," the man offered and Shino's face split with a relieved smile as the woman jumped out of the ambulance and shouted something.

Nareo coughed and brushed off her blouse, "Think I'll go talk to those policemen some more," she gave the young woman a sly look and Shino flushed with embarrassment. She opened her mouth to object, but the housekeeper waved her hand dismissively and walked off.

Moments later Shino could hear footsteps approaching and Masato's familiar voice, "In here?" he questioned and a second later leaned around the corner and looked in the vehicle. The paramedics cleared out to allow them a few moments alone and Masato stepped up into the ambulance and sat down on the bench next to the gurney. Shino's throat tightened with emotion and tears sprang to her eyes as she saw him standing there, whole and intact. Gently she reached out and rested her hand on his smooth face.

When she finally managed to find her voice, she wasn't quite as eloquent as she would have liked.

"What in the world happened to your left eye?" Shino questioned as she stared at the prominent black and blue bruise spreading across his face. Masato smiled reassuringly, "Mera was more concerned with the other dog and not so much with where her head was swinging. Hitting the ground didn't help either," he stated with a slight wince and Shino tried to say something, but couldn't quite find the words.

Masato smiled and with a soft pull on her arm, invited her closer. Shino was all to willing to comply. She shifted to the end of the gurney and slid her arms around him. Masato pulled her closer and rested his chin on top of her head as she leaned against him comfortably.

"It's okay Shino. We'll make it out of this in one way or another," Masato whispered and she nodded and closed her eyes. She wanted so badly to believe that he was telling the truth, but her gut instinct warned that she had better watch her back.

* * *

Reiko's face twisted with displeasure as an annoying beeping sound plagued her senses. Instead of answering it, though, she determinedly kept her eyes shut and tried to ignore it. She had been worked to the bone lately and she was not going to relinquish these precious few moments of...

_Reiko we've picked up a very strong AIDA signal on a nearby server, _Tarvos voice interrupted in her mind.

Sighing in frustration at this announcement the woman opened her eyes and straightened her clothes. Going back to her room would have taken too long so Reiko had just leaned back and fallen asleep right in her chair since she would have had to come back in less than 4 hours anyway.

Fumbling around the table, Reiko found her glasses and rubbed at her eyes before pulling them back on. Rolling her shoulders the CC Corp employee examined the large bank of computer screens in front of her, "Alright, fine...what do you have?" she questioned as Tarvos face appeared on display..

"We've picked up a massive AIDA signal coming from a business server not to far away. Macha spied out the server and found an unattached area, much like Net Slum," Tarvos stated. She was of course speaking in network distances. The Epitaphs viewed the Internet and all of its servers, connections, and websites the way a person would look at cities on a map. Some places were closer, others were farther, some websites could only be opened using certain pathway connections, and so forth.

Right now, though, Reiko's sleep-muddle brain was a bit slow on the uptake. Rubbing her eyes once again she blinked and tried to figure out what that meant, "Okay...?" she waited for a moment as Tarvos clarified herself. The Epitaph brought up a link to where Macha was. It was the first time Reiko had seen the network the way all of the other A.I.'s did.

Fascinated she peered closely at images she was seeing, "Where exactly are you? And what _is_ all that?" Reiko questioned and Macha moved aside and pointed out what was going on. The Temptress adjusted the video feed much like a person moving around a web cam.

"If you look around you'll see that we're actually in a large round area. This is a website node. Each individual server can have hundreds, thousands, or even millions of individual website nodes and when you enter an individual node like I have, then you see these..." Macha paused and the view lowered and adjusted to show glowing blue lines connected to squares of various colors. "Those blue lines represent any and all links within this website. You see that dark blue square with the sky blue connection that turns bright green in the middle and leads out of the area completely?" Macha motioned to the connection as Reiko confirmed that she saw it.

"Well, that means the page has a link leading off to a different website. What we really want you to see, though, is _that_," Macha swung the view around and Reiko could see a large irregular orb with a gaping hole in the side. It was on the server, but not connected to any of the web pages or web page links. At the edges of the gaping hole she could see black dots bubbling around.

"AIDA," Macha stated before Reiko could say it herself. "We think this is where Innis and Skeith took Haseo's consciousness. Its certainly within Innis capabilities and no one using this website would notice the anomaly unless they saw it like we're seeing it now when it becomes obvious. The signal normally doesn't penetrate beyond the web node so your not going to notice it unless you actually enter the area," Macha explained and the computer screen split as Tarvos appeared again on the left.

"When the AIDA penetrated the area its data began to interfere with and distort the area and the signal quickly leaked out to the rest of the server where the CC Corp computers picked up the increasing static," Tarvos explained and Reiko looked around and realized that there was only one person in the room with her and that was Kaoru who was calmly tapping away at the keyboard.

The hikikomori sensed her gaze and lifted his M2D and gave her a small, almost insolent smile. "Finally awake are we? Then you'd better saddle up because it looks like this AIDA is on par with Abtrunniger, Dendeira, and Scorpius," Kaoru questioned and Reiko flushed with embarrassment, but ignored him and reached for her own M2D.

Reiko was about to pull the headset over her eyes and then realized something. Turning back to her fellow G.U. Member she voiced her thoughts, "Where _are _Abtrunniger and Dendeira anyway?" she questioned. Reiko had been too busy to greet the newest member of their team, but Tarvos had informed her that Dendeira was actually very nice and Reiko trusted her Epitaph's opinion.

Kaoru nodded towards the computer screen in front of him, "Macha detected the anomalous signal and told Tarvos who sent her to investigate further. When Macha saw the black AIDA dots she sent a message back to Tarvos who decided to send in Abtrunniger and Dendeira," he explained and Reiko frowned slightly, but could understand the reasoning behind that decision.

_It takes a thief to capture a thief they say, _Reiko thought as she donned her M2D and connected with her Avatar.

_Are you ready? _Tarvos asked as she opened a connection to the web node Macha was on. Reiko took a deep breath and nodded in confirmation, _Yeah, let's go and get this over with and when we're done I'll have a few words for Innis and Skeith, _she replied acidly and the Epitaph chuckled to herself before dashing through the data tear.

* * *

**AN: **And that concludes chapter 35! Like I said I have put up a forum for you fine people and you can get to it from my profile. So please go check it out, comment, reply, start a new topic, throw out ideas or theories, anything having to do with this story. One of my reviewers suggested/requested a forum so there you go!

Translation: If someone doesn't post on this forum than I am going to feel _**really**_ stupid for putting it up.

So there you go. Next chapter you'll get to see Xen who is another one of the Eight AIDA, but his situation is a bit...unique. You'll see what I mean.

Now hit that pretty little button down there and please write a review! Until next time everyone!


	35. On The Front Lines

**AN: **I'm back yet again! I actually went on a trip to Kenya, Africa along with my family. It was soooo awesome!!! And we took over 500 pictures of people, places, and things. I met a lot of people from Japan as well, which was one highlight of the entire trip. I swear they were the _nicest_, _most polite_ people I have ever met. Simply wonderful! I LOVE JAPAN!!!!!!

So if your wondering why there hasn't been an update sooner then consider yourself informed! The people there were so nice and humble, but the traffic was horrible. Took an hour and a half to go ANYWHERE! We were actually attending the International Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses so to get to the convention site 9 miles away it took at least an hour each way. Still our man Samuel was, is, and shall forever be the **_best_** bus driver in **all **of Kenya. He kept us safe and in one piece on those chaotic Nairobi roads.

But back to the story. I'm back and better than ever so its time to get on with the story and the action!

Now with the second section please remember that while Skeith and Innis know about Abtrunniger at least, Haseo doesn't know who our friendly AIDA is and neither he _nor _Innis have ever met Dendeira. Okay? Read that a couple more times and it will make sense.

Now read on and please enjoy!

--

Timeline Update: Early Tuesday Morning, December 3rd.

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Chapter 35: On the Front Lines

* * *

A ripple of pleasure slid down the length of Xen's body as he swam around the large irregular data space before him. It wasn't attached to the website node and wasn't attacked to any of the webpage links either. Aihane had sent him here with clear instructions: capture all Epitaphs that you can.

Meanwhile, Xen's mind chanted only one unchanging mantra: eat, _eat_,** eat.**

The shark's digital brain repeated the words unceasingly as his body screamed for more data. He felt so empty inside. His code was deformed and twisted, his data irregular and broken. Even his body was patched together with large black stitches. He could _smell_ the data that comprised the Epitaph's special area. He could _taste_ the code that was running through this strange data space floating before him and he couldn't _wait_ to tear off a piece and swallow it whole. Already the black AIDA dots around his body had started to dance around and into the large sphere.

_Eat, tear, chew, devour._ Xen hissed and with a flick of his tail, flung himself forward and opened his mouth wide. He took a firm grip and tore a hunk off the side of the area. His serrated teeth easily worked into the piece, ripping it apart into smaller pieces. The shark AIDA savored the taste of the code as it slid down his throat.

_More, need more, eat more, tear more, _Xen's tongue flicked out across his teeth as the deep hunger pangs in his gut worsened. Aihane had been feeding him a steady stream of AIDA who had turned traitor and vagrant A.I.'s that had wandered too close to the hackers personal systems. Both soothed his appetite, but lately the hacker hadn't been feeding him. Apparently, Aihane wanted him plenty hungry for this particular mission and it certainly helped keep Xen's mind focused.

_Must succeed, must succeed, no data if I don't, not get fed, _Xen took another bite out of the outside wall and swallowed his mouthful whole. He was a big AIDA, but the space Innis had created was dwarfed him. Just taking paltry bites, no matter how tasty they were, wouldn't get him inside anytime soon.

Xen roared and used Phantasm. A shadowy duplicate several times bigger than himself formed around the AIDA and followed all of the shark's movements. The copy opened its jaws and sank its rows of teeth into a massive section on the top of the special area in front of him and slung its head to the side the way a real shark would. Bits of data and code burst out and showered down like a fine rain as Xen dismissed the copy and swam over and down into the area Innis had created.

There was nothing else except his ravenous, unceasing hunger.

* * *

Macha grimaced and brushed a few floating chunks of broken data aside. The pieces floated off as The Temptress surveyed the scene. The area Innis had formed in order to hide Haseo's consciousness away was sitting right in front of her... complete with a gaping hole and black AIDA dots floating all around it.

_Looks like we're too late here. We'll have to depend on Abtrunniger and Dendeira to help Innis and protect Haseo. Sending in anyone else is just going to complicate things, _Endrance told her and Macha nodded in agreement.

_Too many cooks spoil the broth they say. I want to help, but I would just be in the way,_ Macha considered. Her ears twitched as they picked up an all to familiar sound. Turning around she saw various AIDA pouring into the room through one of the webpage links that led out of the larger website node.

Letting loose a feline hiss, Macha flexed her claws and prepared for battle as Tarvos appeared from a data tear on the other side of the website node. Half of the AIDA peeled off to go after The Avenger, while the rest continued on to attack Macha.

_We'll have to keep them occupied out here for as long as possible. Not a single one can get past us! _Endrance ordered and Macha gave a curt nod as she launched herself towards the nearest Anna AIDA and sliced into it with her claws, tearing it wide open. She used Data Drain to absorb its data before moving on to the next one. She danced back and forth, but made sure that the enemy AIDA didn't lead her too far away from the area Innis had created.

Corbenik, Fidchell, and Gorre were gone and now Innis was in danger as well. Skeith was inhabiting Ryou Misaki's body and there was no telling whether he would, or was able, to get back here online to help them.

_We're losing more and more Epitaph's, Yata is dead, Rhodesia has been pulled aside by her own higher-ups just when we need her experience the most, and now Haseo and Innis could be killed and captured right in front of me. We can talk big all we want... but the truth is even with Abtrunniger and Dendeira on our side... we're still **losing**, _Macha fought to push away the cold knot of fear in her stomach. Something bad was going to happen and it was going to happen _now _during this battle.

Every fiber of her being warned that neither she nor Endrance would make it out of this battle unscathed.

* * *

Haseo had been sleeping quite peacefully when the ceiling of his digitized hospital room had exploded in a shower of data bits. A blue, black, and white striated shark with _far_ more teeth than should be allowed came crashing down almost on top of him. It had then proceeded to tear the surrounding area apart with its thrashing. As if responding to some unseen cue by the invading AIDA, The room around him had warped and altered to a large, white blank area.... if one managed to ignore the gaping hole the shark had originally come in through.

Trying to figure out what this thing was had captured most of Haseo's attention though. Its slightly transparent body revealed that it was some type of AIDA, but it was far different from any that Haseo had ever seen before. The strangest thing about it was the fact that its body was stitched together. _Literally_ stitched together with ugly black sutures. All of its fins were attached by stitches at the base and the same dark sutures spiraled partway up the very back of its body and across the very front as well. Its right eyelid was sewn shut too. Its remaining eye darted back and forth unceasingly as it made slow circles around the large open room.

Innis had appeared soon after the "attack" along with two other AIDA that seemed to be working with her. Haseo didn't recall ever seeing them before, but if they were here to keep him from getting eaten by this... this_ thing _than he really didn't care who they were. One looked like some type of spiny fish while the other was obviously some kind of snake. The former hovered just above Haseo in a clearly defensive position while the latter sat coiled by the hole the shark AIDA had originally come in through.

Haseo had tried talking to Skeith to let him know what was going on, but wasn't getting any kind of response. In fact he couldn't even feel his Avatar, which worried him more than anything else.

Was Skeith alright? Had something happened? Or was this strange AIDA causing some type of interference?

Either way Haseo didn't like it. Never before had he felt so vulnerable and so... well... scared. For the first time Skeith _wasn't_ here to protect him and that fact made Haseo uncomfortably aware of how weak he really was. He had always fought together with his Epitaph and now that wasn't possible. He wanted to _fight _instead of just standing around like some slack jawed noob. Wasn't there some way that he could help?

Meanwhile, Innis wasn't losing the battle, but she certainly wasn't blowing away the competition either. The shark AIDA just kept slipping by or brushing off every attack thrown at it. Haseo clenched his fists in disgust and self hatred. He _hated_ feeling so helpless, he _hated_ having to stand by and be protected by others. Wasn't there _something_ he could do?Haseo shook his head and turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

_What kind of AIDA __**is**__ that? Everything it touches starts to...dissolve or something._ Haseo watched as the shark-like AIDA slammed into a wall. It backed up and turned on Innis once again. At the point of impact, though, the wall had started to corrode all the way down to the bare code and even that started to unravel and burst apart in tiny puffs various numbers and symbols. The shark hissed and its body coiled angrily before it snapped out like a spring towards Innis.

The Epitaph brought her arms up and crossed the blades at the end of her hands defensively to ward off the impending attack. The AIDA slammed full force into the Second Phase and locked its jaws around her blades. Once it had a good enough grip it convulsed wildly, whipping its body back and forth in wild arcs as the hundreds of teeth lining the inside of its jaws did their work. The A.I.'s sharp fangs tore into the blades and seconds later there was a loud SNAP as both of Innis' blades shattered in the middle and the top parts fell away to the ground.

Innis let out a sharp gasp and reflexively backed away. Her face twisted into one of disgust as the shark paused for a moment before it started to chew on the broken blade pieces still in its mouth.

"Who are you? Did Aihane send you here to capture Skeith and I? Or are you after Haseo instead?" Innis demanded as the AIDA swallowed and bared its teeth once again. It glanced over at Haseo and as it did so he could actually see its teeth _moving_ like the teeth on a chainsaw.

"Oh, you have **got** to be kidding me," Haseo muttered to himself.

Thankfully the shark merely sniffed and summarily dismissed him. Drool trickled down its jaws as it swam closer to Innis. It's blue and black eyes glowed eerily as its teeth rattled and scraped together.

"Aihane send me, Aihane send me! Send me capture you! After he finish I eat! Eat and devour, eat and devour!" It babbled in a hoarse, hissing voice as it sliced through the air with its jaws wide to tear into the Epitaph once again. This time, however, the cobra, snake-like AIDA that had been sitting and watching the battle suddenly shot out of its coiled stance and pulled up in front of Innis protectively.

Its hood flared out and it spat out of what appeared to be venom or acid of some kind. The shark pulled up sharply as the corrosive spray washed over it. Rather than actually hurting the AIDA, though, the acid merely dissolved harmlessly.

Innis narrowed her eyes and looked over at Haseo, staring at him for a moment before glancing up to the fish AIDA hovering above him.

"Dendeira I...." The Second Phase started to say something when the shark attacked.

"Abtrunniger! Innis look out!" the spiny fish-like AIDA, apparently known as Dendeira, called out urgently to Innis and the cobra AIDA helping her.

Innis turned back and used Haze of Treason to create an illusionary copy of herself. The shark passed straight through it as the Second Phase jumped back in from the side and slammed what remained of her broken blade straight into the enemy AIDA's body..

"Right where I want you, right where I want you! Capture you now! Capture and kill your human!" the shark writhed in delight as black dots shot out from around its wound and quickly began to slide up Innis arm. The shark's body began to dissolve into black dots as it infected Innis.

Disgusted, the Epitaph tried to pull her arm out, but the black mass only tightened its grip further as it continued to take her over. Abtrunniger sprang into action and was beside Innis in the blink of an eye. The cobra AIDA tried to wrap its body around the shark, but its coils merely slid through the black mass uselessly.

Hissing to himself, Abtrunniger tried again by sinking his fangs into the offending AIDA to try and physically pull it away. When that didn't work the cobra pulled back and coiled angrily, trying to think of another solution. He turned to Dendeira urgently.

"You have to try and infect Innis! Harmonize your data with hers and you should be able to kick Xen out and keep him from taking over!" Abtrunniger ordered and Dendeira wriggled her fins in agreement before bursting into a cloud of black dots and shooting off towards the Second Phase.

Haseo held his breath as he watched everything play out. _Harmonize their data? Infect Innis? What the heck has been going on? _He took a deep breath to fight off his frustration at not knowing anything. Sure Innis had told him about Abtrunniger, but only that the AIDA was helping them. She hadn't really mentioned anything else, either because she really didn't know or felt that he just didn't _need_ to know about it. Haseo wanted to demand some answers, but at the same time he realized that now wasn't really the time to start whining about injustices.

Both black masses danced in and around Innis body as the Epitaph doubled over and fought to regain control of her body. Innis started glowing a brilliant green, the same color that surrounded Atoli when she summoned her Avatar. But then...

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" a loud screech rent the air, static crackled through the air and roared through Haseo's ears forcing him to slap his hands over them to try and shut out the sound.

Dendeira's body reformed as she slammed backwards against the wall, black dots bubbling around her as her fins deflated. Her color was pale and she shuddered uncontrollably. Abtrunniger hesitated for a moment, torn between helping his fellow AIDA and continuing the fight against the shark, apparently named Xen.

That single moment of hesitation was all that Xen needed, however.

Innis screamed as the shark AIDA dissolved completely and took full control of her body. Black dots swarmed around her as her blades reformed. Dark striations crawled across her body as Xen's data mixed with her own. The Second Phase twitched and jerked in the final throws of rebellion as the AIDA overwhelmed her.

Abtrunniger spat out several words in what sounded like German before whipping around, his wild eyes landing on Haseo who leaned backwards as the AIDA all but glared at him. The cobra flared his hood and snapped his tail around, picked up the small human and dropping him, none to carefully, down on his head.

Haseo grunted and had just managed to sit up when the AIDA beneath him started moving again, nearly throwing him clear off.

"We're grabbing Dendeira and then getting out of here. Macha, and most likely Tarvos as well, have been guarding this area against further intrusion by AIDA, but they'll just have to hold their own until I or another Epitaph can come back. Xen _cannot_ be allowed to escape," Abtrunniger stated with forced calm as he wrapped his lower body around the spiny fish AIDA. He pulled her along as he shot up through the hole in the top of the pale, empty area. He actually passed Macha by only a few inches.

"Hey! Where are you going!" Macha demanded as she slashed away at the enemy AIDA surrounding her. Tarvos was indeed there and using Energy Dart to fire off needles at the Grunwald AIDA crawling back and forth in front of her.

Abtrunniger didn't bother to stop or even slow down. Instead he merely tossed a comment back as he opened a data tear to escape through. Haseo would have said something, but the cobra AIDA jerked his head in a movement clearly meant to catch his attention. Haseo snarled and was about to complain when Abtrunniger's eye rolled up to stare at him.

"We're the ones keeping you alive long enough to return to your real body so you keep your mouth shut boy and let us handle everything," Abtrunniger warned and his acidic tone neatly shut Haseo up. Turning back to the other Epitaph's the AIDA quickly explained the situation. "Xen has taken over Innis' body. He's trying to kill Chigusa so we can bet that he'll use Innis to do it. Then you can be sure that he'll capture Innis once the connection between her and her User is broken," Abtrunniger offered before darting through the hole.

Data flew by them at lightning speeds as they transferred elsewhere. Suddenly everything snapped back into place and Haseo winced and closed his eyes as a wave of nausea washed over him. He didn't have much time to recover because Abtrunniger's tail wrapped around his waist pulling him off the AIDA's head and roughly dropping him on the ground.

"Ow! Geez! What is _up_ with you! I thought you were supposed to be helping me, not throwing me around like a rag doll!" Haseo spat at him and suddenly found Abtrunniger's, much _much_ larger, head staring down at him. For a moment the AIDA looked really and truly angry, but then he leaned back and looked away. The cobra hissed and coiled back upon himself with obvious unease.

Slowly Abtrunniger shook his head, "Your right... forgive me please. It's just... you can't even begin to understand how dangerous Xen is," he paused for a moment before switching subjects, "Aihane is good, but there are still a few AIDA fragments who have managed to escape from his grasp. All of them have been more than willing to provide information about the hacker. I have met Xen a couple times, but the AIDA fragments I've spoken to were kind enough to provide more information about him. I don't have time to explain everything to you now, but just suffice it to say that Xen's specialty is interrupting and destroying data," he offered.

Haseo crossed his arms stubbornly as he thought about that. "You mean like when...when that shark AIDA hit the wall and it then started to dissolve and break apart?" he questioned and Abtrunniger nodded as he looked around cautiously. He leaned down and flicked his tongue out over Dendeira who was still out cold it seemed.

Turning back to the young man, Abtrunniger bobbed his head, "Correct. Xen's data is so corrupt... so unstable and erratic that it can destroy the code of anything it touches..." he explained and then stopped and tilted his head curiously as a Haseo staggered backwards his body glowing a bright red.

Haseo felt a burst of power and energy as his connection with his Avatar was restored and with it came a litany of questions and demands from his Epitaph.

_Where are you? Who hurt you? Did AIDA attack you? Where are the others? Where's Innis? She's supposed to be watching over you while I'm not there! **What happened!** _Skeith's frantic voice suddenly blasted through Haseo's mind full force. For once his demanding tone didn't bother Haseo, in fact the Avatar's worried, paranoid tone had never sounded so good.

_Skeith! Skeith calm down! I'm fine, I'm okay!_ Haseo quickly fought to reassure Skeith and had to spend the next minute or so promising the Epitaph that he was, for the moment, out of harm's way. When he looked back to Abtrunniger he nearly jumped out of his skin. The AIDA's massive head was inches from his body and the cobra's eye was fixated on the young man.

"Tell him that an AIDA like myself is here and has infected Innis. Xen plans to use that connection kill Chigusa somehow and take the Second Phase back to Aihane. Magus needs to stay and monitor the situation, Macha and Tarvos are busy fighting, and another AIDA like myself won't be able to stop him. The Terror of Death needs to come _here_ to fight, while _you _return to your real body and find Chigusa... I assume she's missing already isn't she?" Abtrunniger questioned and waited patiently until Haseo regained enough of his composure to relay the information.

Shooting the cobra a dirty look for the heart attack it had nearly given him, Haseo closed his eyes and spoke to his Epitaph. _I'm here with Abtrunniger...you know him don't you?_ He hesitated for a moment and Skeith gave a grunt, which the Adept Rogue assumed was an affirmative response.

_Well, an AIDA like him is here and has infected Innis. Its name is Xen and he's trying to kill Chigusa and once their connection is broken he'll take Innis back to Aihane. Magus can't fight and Macha and Tarvos are already busy at the scene. Abtrunniger added that another AIDA wouldn't be able to stop Xen either,_ Haseo was cut off when Skeith added his own thoughts.

_Now that we've gotten stronger and can control the... physical bodies of our User's I have no doubt that he'll use Innis to control Chigusa and force her to commit suicide by some means. This AIDA wouldn't have the finesse or dexterity to use Innis to control Chigusa's thinking and emotions so you can be sure that whatever she does will be fully against her will, _the First Phase mused and then gave a snort.

_Figures Aihane would be sadistic enough to try something like... hey, where'd she go? _Skeith's rant was cut off and he sounded surprised. Haseo suddenly felt cold and his eyes popped open. _She? She who? Are you there with Chigusa?_ He demanded and his Avatar muttered to himself and fell silent for a moment.

_I was down at that... that thing you humans call a vending machine. I was thirsty and those bubble-headed nurses weren't answering. Those guards by the door were half asleep so I snuk out and decided to go down and see Chigusa since they weren't allowing me any contact with her. Now I'm standing in front of her room and not only are the guards out cold but she's missing as well, _Skeith's tone took on a far more urgent note and Haseo cursed fluently and pulled at his hair in cleared his throat in a loud, impatient way to hurry him up and the teenager finished the message he was originally supposed to be conveying.

_Abtrunniger wants you to come here and fight Xen while I return to my real body and search for Chigusa, _Haseo concluded and the silence stretched on longer. He could feel his Avatar's confliction and worry as he weighed the few options they had left. Haseo knew exactly what was going on in Skeith's mind right now: How much had his really body healed? Would he be in good enough shape to handle the lingering pain and stress that his body would be under?

_We're still connected you know. So if I get hurt... then your going to feel it in the real world as well..._ Skeith warned him and Haseo swallowed hard and imagined the pain of his injuries combined with any damage his Avatar received here.

_We don't have a choice. I'll just have to deal with it and then we can worry about any side effects later on. Right now both Chigusa and Innis need our help, _Haseo stated this firmly and decisively. Skeith hesitated more, but ultimately relented.

_Fine. Close your eyes and relax as much as possible. This is going to happen right away. You'll lose all sensation for a moment so try not to panic when it happens. It will last no more than 4 seconds before you're back in your body and I'm here online again, _Skeith explained to him._ Being in your body has allowed me to target specific areas of your body and heal them even faster than before. The doctors didn't expect your physical and brain injuries to heal until Friday at least, but I've manage to pull that date back a little, _Skeith was clearly smug about this situation.

_Your body won't really be "back to normal" for another couple of days and you'll still be in some pain if you try and push your body too hard. Chigusa's injuries are less severe and thanks to Innis she's healed enough to be released from the hospital's care any day now. She's no athlete, but you shouldn't underestimate her strength either. There's no telling what this AIDA might force her to do,_ the Epitaph paused and Haseo took a deep breath to settle his nerves as he took that information to heart.

_Okay, lets do this._

All of a sudden everything was gone just as Skeith said it would happen. He couldn't feel his body, his fingers, nothing. He couldn't breathe and couldn't see. The freezing cold chilled him to the bone and Haseo could feel himself starting to panic.

Then just as quickly he was suddenly in his body.... and the floor was rushing up to greet him. Ryou grabbed at the door and managed to hang on to it as his weak legs barely managed to hold him up. He could feel his connection with Skeith strengthen as the Epitaph transferred himself fully online once again.

_What's wrong with my legs? _Ryou demanded feeling Skeith's thoughts and emotions flow through him once again. He never thought that sensation would feel so good. It was nice to be in his body and in contact with his Avatar they way he had before this whole mess had started.

_I told you it would be some time before you were back to normal. Your brain and other physical wounds like the one in your back and the gunshot hole to your head have healed... but your muscles have started to weaken because you haven't been moving for over a week. So your going to have to build your muscles up with old fashioned exercise brat, _Skeith gave a small chuckle as he said that and Ryou grunted as he pulled himself up straighter and corrected his wobbly balance.

_Gee, thanks, you work miracles with everything else, but with this I'm on my own, _Ryou grumbled back as he managed to take one step and then another. He wasn't as bad off as he originally thought, but if he didn't watch himself then he would be having another face-to-face meeting with the floor. Ryou didn't know where Chigusa was, but someone else around here might. Also, the guards on the floor were just now starting to come around. They were bleeding from both ears like their eardrums had been damaged or something.

Carefully, Ryou hurried down the hallway as fast as he dared, careful not to trip himself up on his own feet. Just down the corridor he came to the nurses station. There was one man working there and he was attempting to put on a brave face for the other woman working there with him. The computer monitors were blank and one actually had smoke pouring out of the sides.

"Did you see a young woman come through here? Teenager, about 5 foot 3 inches with long black hair down her back?"

Both nurses pointed down the hallway and the man spoke up in a shaky voice as he rubbed his ears, "Towards the elevators. She went up," he managed to get out and Ryou nodded and hurried off towards the two elevators as a wave of pain sliced through his arm.

"AGH! What the...!" Ryou gasped and clutched his arm as Skeith's apologetic tone filled his mind. _Sorry about that. I'm trying to avoid getting hit, but this AIDA is good, _he explained and Ryou gritted his teeth and kept walking as the pain faded to a dull throb. He couldn't let this stop him from finding Chigusa.

_Great... I finally get the chance to see my girlfriend again and things turn out like this... _Ryou considered as he stopped in front of the elevator and hit the UP arrow. He was on the 4th floor right now and the hospital had about 10 floors altogether. He didn't have time to check every floor and Skeith didn't have time to check things out for him. He had been trying to ignore the annoying beeping sound coming from over to the left but couldn't. Finally he gave in and turned to see what it was.

Looking over he saw a room with the door open. Inside were a couple chairs and a large TV screen set inside the wall. On it was a clear message:

_Checked elevator controls. Last elevator from _

_this floor went up to the roof. Only **one** reason _

_for AIDA to send Chigusa up there. _

_**HURRY UP!!!—**Magus_

Ryou stared at the message for a moment before he understood. His breath caught in his throat and his legs nearly gave out again from the thought of what was about to happen to his girlfriend. Scrambling he pounded his fist on the button until the doors opened with a cheerful 'bing'. He practically threw himself in the elevator and hurriedly scanned the bank of buttons. After what seemed to be an eternity he found the correct panel and slammed it. The doors hesitated for a second before closing.

The elevator swiftly started its ascent, but it seemed more like a crawl to Ryou. Sweat started to pour down his face and he had to close his eyes to fight back the tears that were threatening to form.

_Please... oh, God,please let me get there in time. I can't loose Chigusa... please not her, _Ryou pleaded and prayed like never before as the elevator finally arrived at the roof and the doors opened into the chilly night air.

* * *

**AN:** And there we go. Did you enjoy the chapter? I struggled a bit to figure out what to do with Haseo seeing as he was trapped in the middle of everything. All in all I'm satisfied with it though. I hope all of you feel the same way. :)

So how did you like Xen? Not quite what you expected I'm sure. This chapter wasn't exactly suited to a long explanation of what happened to Xen and why he is the way he is. But I promise that it _will _be explained in time so don't worry!

Then again we have Endrance and Macha... will Macha's uneasy feeling come true? We'll just have to wait and see won't we?

Now all the way back in Chapter 27 I said that a "vital upcoming scene" was inspired by one of Tokio Hotel's songs and now eight chapters later that time has finally come around! The song in particular is titled Don't Jump / Spring Nicht by Tokio Hotel and if the title isn't clue enough then go look up the song on their official website or on YouTube. The whole video is a clear/obvious/glaring hint of what will come in the next chapter in case the whole "Chigusa's on the roof" didn't quite do it for you. Also it's a beautiful song even if you've never heard of the band.

That's all I have to say for now! I look forward to your questions, comments, constructive criticism, and forum posts as well! Its good to be back and I hope you'll welcome me after my long (?) absence with your reviews! Until next time everyone!


	36. Don't Jump

**AN: **I've kept you all waiting! I have a new job which is awesome, but I don't get home until about 5:30pm or a little later and then there are so many other things to do. I try and type up a page every day, but then I have to proofread it and work on my other two stories as well.

Someone actually sent me a PM asking/screaming at me to update. That makes me so happy. :)

I won't keep you waiting longer though, I know you must be dying for more so here you go everyone!

Timeline Update: Early Tuesday Morning, December 3rd.

Chapter 36: Don't Jump

* * *

Skeith transferred himself back online and flexed his large hands as he momentarily relished the feeling of being back in his own body. Looking around he spotted Abtrunniger hovering over another AIDA, but he didn't have time to ask who it was or why they were here.

"Where's Innis?" Skeith asked and Abtrunniger looked over his shoulder and nodded to a corner of the Outer Dungeon. At his motion a data tear opened up. "Go through there and you'll arrive in the website node. Macha and Tarvos are currently there fighting off the other AIDA fragments Aihane has sent to distract them. If you can stop Innis and get Xen to retreat then Aihane should pull all of the others back as well," the cobra AIDA explained to him and the white Avatar nodded and dashed through the data tear.

Information flew by at blinding speeds as Skeith transferred to the website area. Suddenly everything fell back into place and the Terror of Death found himself in a war zone. Energy Shots and other attacks were slung through the area at various angles as AIDA and Epitaph fought each other. Skeith spotted Macha holding her own off to one side and Tarvos fighting back a wave of Grunwald on the other end of the website node.

Some of the attacks missed and slammed into the glowing dark blue squares and bright blue lines that represented the pages and links within the web site. When this happened the data was sheared away in massive swaths. Dozens of web pages and links were breaking apart every second.

_If it keeps up like this then the entire area is going to collapse, _Skeith realized as he dashed through the chaos and around the various attacks flying in all directions. If such a thing did happen the AIDA and Epitaphs in the area wouldn't be hurt, but instead they would merely be kicked out of the area and onto another part of the server. _If this place goes down we could end up right next to one another or all the way on the other side of the network, _the Avatar considered as he raised his arms and used his Energy Machine Gun to take down an Anna AIDA that was in his way. The Anna dissolved into strings of numbers and all 8 swords on Skeith's back glowed and absorbed the data as he shot past.

The large unattached area that Innis had created to hold Haseo's consciousness loomed ahead of him. Black dots swarmed around it and the walls were rapidly collapsing in on themselves or distorting and warping as the code was corrupted. Skeith hesitated for a moment just as the entire sphere swallowed and consumed itself. It broke down into black dots as Innis' form appeared in the center of the wriggling mass.

_Ugh, disgusting, _Skeith would have made a face if he had one, instead he prepared himself for battle. The swords on his back vanished and altered into the energy scythe he wielded. Tightening his grip, Skeith took a deep breath as Innis turned towards him. She was clearly under AIDA control and he had to find a way to remove "Xen"—whatever that might be—from his fellow Epitaph without causing too much damage to the Second Phase.

"I suppose your not going to just give up my friend and go away nicely, hunh?" Skeith questioned and the AIDA-controlled Innis readied her blades in response. _Well, there you go, _he considered as he slung his scythe around and sent several energy waves arching out towards his opponent.

Innis tried to block the first attack, but the force from the impact was so intense that her opaque blades actually cracked from the pressure. The next two phased straight through the Epitaph's body as she dematerialized. Skeith jumped back just in time as Innis reappeared above him and sliced down through the air. Her attack missed him by inches and the Terror of Death brought his own weapon around and hit her straight in the stomach.

Innis grunted and the black dots swarming around her danced in agitation as black hands formed and grabbed at Skeith's scythe. Irritated, he merely slapped them away, but that distraction was enough of an opportunity for Innis to vanish again.

Skeith tensed and looked around carefully, all of the other AIDA were still battling and fighting all around him and he had to dash to the right to avoid an Algol Laser that went awry. He knew that his attack had connected, but there was no telling how much damage he had done. They had all come a long way in the months since Cubia and Tri-Edge had been defeated. Every Epitaph had been training hard and was now stronger, smarter, fast, and far more deadly than before.

Innis could create copies of herself and use illusions to fool her enemy, but Skeith doubted the AIDA controlling her would be able to access and take advantage of those abilities. It would most likely resort to basic tactics until Chigusa was disposed of. Then it would either detach from Innis or try and escape with her.

Skeith's senses tingled and turned around just in time to catch Innis blade with the back of his left hand. "Trying to sneak up on me are you? You'll have to do better then that!" he sliced at Innis several times with his scythe and she let out a distorted scream and vanished into thin air yet again.

_Great, it looks like Xen is just going to keep appearing and then reappearing in an attempt to catch me off guard. He's just dragging this fight out for as long as possible, _Skeith considered as Innis reappeared on his left and several Energy Shots came out from the circular sword-like array on her back and flew towards him.

Skeith used Slash Shield and whipped his scythe back and forth sending out energy waves that deflected Innis attacks. He locked onto his fellow Avatar and charged used Homing Shot to fire several beams at her. They all hit Innis straight on and she floated backwards, stunned by the impact.

Skeith charged his scythe and was preparing to launch a chakram at her, when he was hit from behind. Turning around he saw a Victorian hovering there behind him preparing to fire again. It opened its beak and used Excellent Ray to fire off several black laser beams in quick succession. Grunting in frustration Skeith used Slash Shield once again. The energy waves sliced through the beams and carved massive swaths of data out of the Victorian. Skeith activated his Data Drain ability and the 8 swords on his back formed into a cannon and began charging energy.

The Terror of Death was preparing to fire it when Innis shot up right in front of him and brought her blade around to slam into his chest. Skeith quickly grabbed the sword before it could hit him and with a simple flick of his wrist, snapped it clean in half. Black dots bubbled at the end as the broken stub sparked and flickered. He couldn't afford to take any hits during this fight. If he did than it could put Ryou at serious risk.

Innis backed off and began charging her own Data Drain attack. Skeith took a deep breath and gripped his scythe even more tightly. This was his chance to take her out and free her from Xen's grip. _I just have to make sure I time this right, _he thought as Innis released the orb of energy she had been gathering between her hands. Skeith waited until it was right on him before knocking it right back at her at twice the speed.

The Mirage of Deceit tried to dodge, but she couldn't move fast enough and the Data Drain caught her on the right side. Innis screamed as the attack tore into her data and disrupted it. It wouldn't do too much damage, but it _would _paralyze her for a couple of seconds; plenty of time for Skeith to finish the job.

Skeith summoned his Data Drain cannon once again and the eye of the weapon opened up and locked onto the opposing Avatar. This time he fired it off without interruption and Innis body jerked and twitched wildly, but the AIDA couldn't move out of the way—Innis must be fighting against Xen's control over her.

The huge sphere of energy scored a direct hit and black dots snapped around Innis body in wild swoops before peeling away and reforming into a more solid form. The striated shark-like AIDA that formed rippled and it lashed its head back and forth in either pain, anger, or frustration and let out a loud hiss as Innis body crumpled and she collapsed.

Skeith hurried over and caught her in his arms before she could fall and he looked up to see Xen darting back and forth erratically. The shark glared at him and muttered something unintelligible before opening a data tear and swimming up through it.

_But did I stop Xen in time to save Chigusa? _Skeith wondered as all of the other AIDA began to leave the area as well in obvious retreat.

* * *

Rhodesia sighed and stared up at the ceiling of her hotel room. She had been in a video conference all day with the highest ranking members of the NAB and they wanted to talk to her _again_ tomorrow and Thursday. They had put her up in a fancy hotel a couple miles away from the G.U. Headquarters. They wanted her focused on the matter at hand and not distracted by what was going on elsewhere. There were important questions that needed to be answered and Rhodesia was expected to come through for them... as usual.

Right now Rhodesia was supposed to be sleeping, but couldn't help wondering how the G.U. members were faring. Were they okay? Had Aihane attacked them again? How were the Avatar's doing now that Gorre had been captured as well? Were they okay too? Sighing heavily, Rhodesia got up and started getting dressed. She wouldn't be able to get any sleep tonight so she might as well do something productive.

Sitting up, Rhodesia thought about how things were operating at the moment. Niketas Zykov was assuming temporary command of G.U. while she was taking care of business here. The young Russian man was 28 years old and usually went by the nickname Nikita. Like Rhodesia he had started working with the Network Administration Bureau straight out of college. He had been forced to take a short medical leave so he could have corrective eye surgery and Rhodesia had been assigned to oversee Russia in his place. Once he was healed and ready to return she had been assigned here to Japan to work with CC Corp and take control of Project G.U.

Rhodesia frowned as her thoughts turned to the video conference that she had been forced to endure today. For the most part she was simply there to assure the NAB leaders that she was more than capable of performing her assigned job and that she wasn't allowing her emotions to cloud her judgment. Not _much_ anyway. After all it was her emotion and empathy for others that made her so successful and so good at what she did here, but the higher ups already knew that. They merely wanted to make sure that the important decisions she was making were really for the benefit of _everyone_ and not just those friends she had made at CC Corp.

_I shouldn't be so worried. Nikita is there taking care of things and while he may operate differently than I do, he'll still keep things together... unless Aihane comes up with a new plan of attack that neither we or the Avatar's are prepared for, _Rhodesia chewed on her thumbnail as she thought about that. _What if he's found the location where Innis is keeping Ryou? He's certainly going to come at us when we least expect it and when its most inconvenient, _she closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Almost immediately her thoughts turned to Kaoru and how he was handling the stress.

Rhodesia's eyes snapped opened and her face flushed a deep red. _Oh, stop it! He's the reason I got called out here in the first place. He'll be just fine without me there to hold his hand. Besides he's got Macha there to look out for him, _she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. If she didn't get back to the G.U. building and check up on things then she was never going to get any rest.

Grabbing her cellphone, Rhodesia hit one of her speed dial buttons and waited, impatiently, as it rang. Magus had set up a private line that linked right into the Outer Dungeon, but at the moment no one was answering. She pulled it away and stared at it in frustration. She muttered something in her native language of Shona and tossed the cell phone aside onto the bed before standing up.

Rhodesia put her hands on her hips and stared around the room as she decided her next move. If she left now it wouldn't look very good to the WNC, but if something _did_ happen and she just sat here flipping through the tv stations it would look even worse. It was said that people who worked in this field developed a "sixth sense" for trouble and right now there was a niggling feeling in the back of her mind that warned her of impending danger.

Rhodesia tried one more time to get in contact with someone, but again the line just kept ringing. She could call one of the other employees but it just wasn't the same. _That's it. I'm going back there to see what's going on, otherwise I'll never be able to relax, _she nodded decisively and then turned and began to gather up her clothes so she could get dressed. Even with the chaotic Tokyo traffic it should only take about 20 minutes to get back to the G.U. Headquarters Complex where most of the Epitaph Users and all of the technicians and scientists now lived and worked.

_I'll check in to see how things are doing and get a quick update from Nikita while I'm there, _Rhodesia thought as she grabbed a jacket, her purse and cellphone, and then finally the key card for the hotel room. She glanced around the room one more time to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything and then headed out of the room.

* * *

Ryou stumbled out of the elevator and shivered from the cold. It was only about 45 degrees F tonight and here on top of the hospital it was even colder. He let out a shaky breath and the air fogged up in front of him. The cold weather cut him to the bone and the fact that he was only wearing white hospital scrubs certainly didn't warm him up any. Even though he was on the roof there wasn't any wind blowing and the calm only added to the eerie atmosphere.

_Chigusa where are you? What has that AIDA done to you? _Ryou fretted and he rubbed his arms for some extra heat as he looked around frantically for any sign of his girlfriend.

The loud drone of a helicopter caught his attention and Ryou looked up to see a news chopper hovering overhead. The news logo was emblazoned on the side and a cameraman was hanging out of the open door on the right side as a reporter with a headset motioned with his arms. Ryou frowned at that and hurried over to the side of the building. Looking down he could see that a large crowd had gathered at the bottom and more people were coming up to see what was going on. Ryou scowled and felt a wave of irritation that this situation was being broadcast all over the news.

Stepping backwards, Ryou scanned the roof and finally spotted Chigusa walking in a jerky, halting gait towards a section of the roof that had a step leading up to the edge. Ryou's breath caught in his throat and for a moment he was frozen in place. He couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't think.

_You have to help her! No one else is going to stop Chigusa!_ Ryou's mind screamed at him and he took a step forward before finding his voice again. "CHIGUSA!" He screamed to her and she actually stopped for a brief moment before she started walking again.

"Chigusa no!" Ryou shouted as he started to run towards her. Immediately pain shot up through his left leg and up to his chest, paralyzing him and bringing him down to the cold cement. Spots danced in front of his eyes and Ryou coughed and gritted his teeth as the muscled spasms in his leg kept him down on the cement.

Dozens of thoughts flashed through Ryou's head. All of the time they had spent together, all the stupid senseless conversations they'd had and the silly jokes she had gotten him to laugh at, all the times she had dragged him off to another dungeon in The World, and all of the telephone conversations they had exchanged.

_I have to get up... I have to stop her... I have to save her. _Tears sprang to Ryou's eyes as he fought against the pain that was coming in waves throughout his left side. Did Skeith get hit? Or was his body still too weak? Ryou brushed those thoughts aside and fought against the pain. He pushed himself up to his elbows and swallowed hard as he managed to take suck in a deep breath.

"Chigusa please stop!" Ryou shouted plaintively and when Chigusa stopped this time, she actually turned around to look at him. As Chigusa stared his way Ryou could clearly see the panic and terror in her eyes. That AIDA, Xen, might be controlling her, but Chigusa was still very much aware of what was going on around her. The young woman closed her eyes and he could see her body shaking. When she opened them again, Ryou could see a single tear slide down her face.

_She's fully aware of everything that's going on. Yet, she's powerless to do anything about it_. Ryou watched helplessly as she turned suddenly and started walking again towards the edge of the roof, faster this time.

Ryou took a couple of short breaths and then managed to stagger up to a standing position. His legs trembled and his left one threatened to give out completely, but in the end he remained standing. _Hold on Chigusa, just hold on!_ He managed a short limping step and mentally cursed his weakness. Why wasn't he stronger? Why was he never good enough to protect his friends? No matter how hard he tried they were always getting into trouble and one day he wasn't going to get there in time to save one of them.

_Stop it! You can't get caught up in your own faults right now. You can beat yourself up AFTER Chigusa is safe and sound, _Ryou soundly chastised himself as he limped another couple of steps. He stopped as another dagger of pain slid up his leg like fire. It subsided almost immediately and Ryou let out a harsh gasp and continued to drag himself along as fast as he could. Chigusa wasn't moving very fast, but she would get to the edge of the roof quicker than he did if the situation kept up like this.

_I'm not going to let her down. I'm not going to fail the way I did with Sakaki. Last time I was blind and she was infected with AIDA because of it. Now it's happening all over again, _Ryou thought to himself as he fought against the pain and his own weak muscles. How much longer was this going to go on? How much longer would they have to keep fighting? First it was Ovan, Sakaki, Tri-Edge and Cubia. Now it was Aihane and the AIDA fragments and Epitaph's that he had captured.

Ryou was forced to stop as the pain intensified to the point where he feared he might collapse again. _I don't... I don't know how much longer I can deal with this... this... weakness. I was... no... Skeith and I were so powerful before and now that all counts for nothing. We need more energy, more strength. We need more __**power**__, _Ryou understood this, but it didn't help him now. It didn't help Chigusa who was a prisoner in her own body. It didn't help the two AIDA who were apparently doing what they could to assist them, it didn't help Skeith who was fighting heart and soul to stop Xen and keep him from breaking the bond between Avatar and Epitaph User, it didn't help Innis who might only be minutes away from being captured.

Chigusa stopped and carefully stepped up onto a concrete square and then up placed one foot on the flat border separating the roof floor from the open air.

"CHIGUSA!" Ryou screamed again and this time he did break into a ragged, stumbling run. His muscles protested and his legs quivered with every step, but he did stay on his feet.

Chigusa stepped fully onto the edge of the roof and stared down. Ryou watched as she lifted one foot and stretched it out over the open air.

He reached out, hand and arm extended to grab her. Chigusa leaned forward and then suddenly pitched backwards. Ryou watched in horror as her eyes fluttered shut and she collapsed, her body slipping forward over the edge of the rooftop.

Ryou closed the last few inches and grabbed the back of her shirt. He summoned all of his strength and hauled back as hard as he could. For one agonizing moment nothing happened and then Chigusa's right foot swung back down onto the edge of the roof and she spun around and sank back towards him.

Chigusa fell back on him and the weight of her body sent Ryou sprawling on his back to the cement. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. Frantically he hauled himself up and looked down at Chigusa in disbelief. She was safe, she was okay.

_I did it... but did Skeith? Did he stop Xen? Did he rescue Innis? _Ryou wondered as he brushed her hair back and tightened his grip on her. He didn't have to wonder for long because Chigusa eyes fluttered open almost immediately and she lifted her head. Her eyes stared off into space for a moment before focusing on his face. The harsh sound of Ryou's heavy breathing cut through the night as they gazed at each other.

"Ryou? Oh, Ryou is that really you? Chigusa's soft voice had never sounded so wonderful to his ears. Ryou swallowed hard and the intense swell of emotion within him cut off all emotion. He nodded slowly as Chigusa shifted her weight and managed to sit up. Gently she raised a hand and rested it on his cheek as her eyes moved up to the bandages wrapped around his head.

"You're here... and you're alive... you're still alive..." Chigusa stopped and struggled to find the words. "I saw you... when they brought you in with that... with that awful knife in your back. I saw my father pull the trigger. There was nothing I could to help you and now here you are having to come to my rescue again after everything that you've been through." Her eyes darkened at those thoughts and Ryou could tell that she was once again blaming and depressing herself.

Ryou shook his head and took a deep breath, held it and then let it out slowly. He looked at her... _really_ looked at her this time and realized how big of a fool he had been. Even after all this time he had still been taking her for granted. Not taking her seriously, not taking their _relationship _seriously enough. Closing his eyes, Ryou pressed his cheek into her hand, welcoming her touch and affection.

_She loves me... and I don't mean just a stupid schoolgirl crush either. Chigusa **really** and **truly** loves me and I've just been playing around, _Ryou thought as a sob escaped his throat. Chigusa's expression softened and a worried look broke across her face as her fingers slowly stroked his skin.

"Ryou what's wrong?" Chigusa urged and Ryou tried to speak but this time he couldn't stop the tears that spilled down from his eyes. He dropped his head and shook it slowly as he spoke, "I'm sorry... oh, Chigusa... I'm so sorry. This is all my fault... I should have seen this coming, I should have been there earlier to keep your dad from... from hurting you the way he did," Ryou's voice trembled and shook so much he doubted that she could understand him at all.

"You never should have gotten hurt, you and Innis should never have been used by Aihane and that AIDA the way you just were," Ryou's thoughts came pouring out as he said everything that was in his heart. Everything he should have said to her before now. He had almost lost her, Chigusa had almost died right in front of him and he never would have had the chance to tell her how he felt. How he _really_ felt. Now Ryou had the chance and he wasn't going to let it slide by.

Ryou sighed heavily. " You're too good of a person. Your so beautiful... and the last thing you should have to put up with is a proud, self-righteous jerk like me," he confessed heavily and surprised flashed across Chigusa's face, but he wasn't done talking yet. "Every time you get in trouble I always arrive barely in time to save you... and this time... this time... I almost..." Ryou's voice broke and he shuddered at the thought.

"...I almost lost you forever..."

It was barely a whisper and yet it carried so much weight. Chigusa stared at him with open surprise, but was at a loss for words. Instead she dropped her head to his neck and gently urged him closer. Ryou wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her neck. Enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms and the way she smelled.

"This never should have happened, Chigusa, and I promise that from now on I'm going to be a better person... a better **man** for you. I'm never going to let you get hurt again,"Ryou murmured softly to her. Chigusa ran her fingers through his hair to reassure him, but she didn't say anything... there was nothing else to be said.

* * *

**AN:** Ah, finally I managed to get to this scene! You readers can't imagine how excited I was to finally be able to get this down and finished for you all. But there are even more epic things to come. So believe me when I say that the rollercoaster is not over yet...oh no! We've got a way's to go yet.

Now some of you might be surprised at Ryou/Haseo's display of emotion in this chapter, but come on people! His girlfriend was forced to nearly jump off a roof for crying out load! Ryou had _better_ break down and show some heart!

So this marks a _big_ turning point in Ryou's life and in his development as a person and as a man. Our boy sure is growing up fast isn't he? But such situations tend to force people to mature quickly and Ryou has a lot of pressure on his shoulders.

I also have to admit that this story is quickly approaching its conclusion. I'm still working out just how I'm going to end it, but it will be coming up soon... Okay that's a relative term considering all of the other responsibilities I have but...10 chapters? Around that many left I would say. I'll let you know if that changes though (Translation: it probably will so be prepared).

So there you go with the next chapter! As you know I'm also working on Forbidden Light, my Kingdom Hearts story and I started up an original story over on Fictionpress called Mikansei Sapphire that is my baby and pride and joy! This is my first stab at an original story that I actually plan/hope to publish one day. I'll put up the link and story information on my forum and I would love for you all to check it out and leave some reviews!

It's filled to the brim with all sorts of anime and otaku goodness. I'm attempting to take the old "we formed a band" cliché and make it far more interesting and dynamic. I'm highlighting the "darker side" of the music business that few people really ever appreciate. The events that will happen in the story are actually going to be pulled from things real celebrities, bands, and song artists have gone through. Stalkers, paparazzi, tabloids, and everything else you can think off.

Sounds interesting right? RIGHT? Please review it somebody, I only have one so far so I'm really looking for more readers and you people have been so nice to me and all I'm asking for is a little support. -continues thinking up other means of flattering her readers-

That concludes this chapter and I hope you all enjoyed it! Leave reviews, comments, opinions, constructive criticism, and things you would like to see in the story if you like. The forum is always open so if you have questions just leave them over there and I will make sure to answer them for you! Until next time everybody!


	37. Death and Taxes

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Time-line Update: Tuesday Morning, December 3rd.

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Chapter 37: Death and Taxes

* * *

Morning had been here for a few hours and now the sun was just starting to peek up over the slightly foggy Chiba skyline. Ryou was by the window staring out of the hospital window as doctors Lien Mei and Ian Evans stood just outside of the closed door talking with the police. They were trying to persuade the feds into giving them a chance to talk with the two teenagers about what had just happened up on the roof just 15 minutes ago. Every TV in the hospital was turned on and the staff, who were supposed to be working, were instead glued to the screens as various news stations doled out whatever information they could get their hands on.

Innis was now conscious and when Chigusa asked how she was doing, the Epitaph merely said that she would be fine with a little rest. The Second Phase informed her User that she and Skeith were done talking with the other Avatar's and were heading back to the Outer Dungeon. Innis concluded by saying that there were some important developments concerning her and Gorre they needed to discuss, but that could wait until later. The Mirage of Deceit had been slightly evasive as far as the last declaration was concerned so ultimately Chigusa had left her Avatar alone. She could still feel the Epitaph's presence—a bit weaker than before, but still there nonetheless.

Besides, Chigusa already had plenty on her mind. She fidgeted as she sat listening to the crowd shouting outside of her hospital room. Dr. Ian had cornered them after they came down from the roof and promptly ordered both of them inside to Chigusa's room while they figured out how to handle the situation. Immediately after that the two doctors had frantically made a call to Rhodesia for help. Thankfully she had picked up right away and informed the physicians that a man from the NAB by the name of Niketas Zykov would come by and handle things—both with the news crews swarming outside the building and with the policemen inside.

After Ryou's confession up on the roof, he had lapsed into silence and Chigusa really didn't want to disturb him. She could tell by the look on her boyfriend's face that he was thinking and thinking hard. A lot had happened tonight and Chigusa knew better than anyone else that Ryou must surely have things he needed to work through right now. Tonight had definitely changed him. But in what way?

_I've seen him scared before... but never like that. He was so upset... so... devastated. _Chigusa realized uneasily as she shifted her attention between the angry voices just outside the door and Ryou who was staring sullenly out of the window. _It's just like the day when he finally learned that Ovan was Tri-Edge. Something in him changed that day and now he's going through it again, _Chigusa thought as chewed on her lower lip nervously.

Irritated, she tried to ignore the itching that was slowly crawling up underneath the cast on her left lower arm. Chigusa wanted to comfort Ryou, but wasn't really sure what to say. Right now he had that slightly unfocused look that happened when he was talking with Skeith.

"Ryou?"

He lifted his head slightly and looked back over his shoulder to see what she wanted. Chigusa's voice caught for a moment before forcing out the words had she had been tossing back and forth in her mind.

"Come and sit down." It was a rather feeble request, but it evidently got her point across because Ryou let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair before pushing off the wall and coming over to her. Grabbing a seat he rolled it up bedside and sat down on Chigusa's right. For several long seconds Ryou just sat there in silence, staring down at his clasped hands.

"What have I been doing?"

Chigusa tilted her head slightly in confusion but didn't interrupt. She listened closely as he spoke.

"I mean... back during the first AIDA incident I took charge. Even if I didn't have any clues or any real direction I still kept looking for a way to move forward. Shino, Silabus, Gaspard, Bo, G.U. and then you and Endrance... you all _needed_ me... you needed me to be strong and take the lead." Ryou's face was taut and drawn, his eyes empty and vacant. He drew a deep breath and shook his head in dismay. "But _now_ look at me. It has only been a few months yet it feels like so much _longer _to me. I helped defeat Cubia and prevented the Third Network Crisis from collapsing the entire world economy, but now that Aihane is here I've just been sitting on the sidelines letting everyone else make all the decisions," Ryou clenched his hands and set his jaw. The anger he displayed seemed directed towards himself rather than anyone else.

"Sure I promised Rhodesia that I wouldn't run away from this... that I would stay and fight... but what else? Before I went searching for answers. I would go anywhere and everywhere an AIDA might be found. I didn't care what it took just as long as I was able to get closer to my goal. Now I feel like..." Ryou paused and pursed his lips. "...like I'm just standing here watching as everything passes me by," he confessed heavily. Ryou dropped his head down to his hands. He had never really been good at articulating his feelings and that shortcoming was holding him back now as well.

Chigusa's eyes softened and she hesitated before reaching out with her right hand. She rested it on the back of his neck, gently massaging his muscles. Ryou sighed and she could see him close his eyes as his shoulders dropped slightly in relief.

"I think..." Ryou paused for a moment and opened his eyes again. He lifted his head slightly and stared down at the bed sheets reflectively.

"I think we've been looking at Rhodesia the wrong way," Ryou confessed and Chigusa frowned at that as she continued to massage his neck. "What do you mean? How?" She prodded and he straightened up and rested his hands on his knees. Chigusa pulled her hand back and let it rest on the bed as Ryou continued. "All of us have been looking to Rhodesia as Yata's replacement right?" He asked and Chigusa opened her mouth and then closed it. Realizing he was right, she just nodded in agreement.

Satisfied Ryou added, "But that's wrong because whether we agreed with his methods or not, no one can replace a man Yata... like Takumi. Besides Rhodesia has made it clear that she's not out to take anyone's position," he commented simply. He caught the worried look on Chigusa's face and gave her a wane smile. "Don't worry. I know about his death... suicide. Skeith told me, but I'll admit that I haven't really had time to think much about it." Ryou looked away as he made the confession, but Chigusa knew what he meant.

"Almost dying tends to do that to people."

Ryou raised an eyebrow at her comment and then gave a rueful laugh. A smile slowly crawled across his lips and he ran a hand through his hair as he accepted that. Chigusa could see her boyfriend's posture and expression relax slightly as some of the tension left his body.

"I'll agree with that one." Ryou took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "But what I meant was that we've been going about this whole thing the wrong way. Yata was doing just find, but when Fidchell was captured he just couldn't do it anymore. After that Rhodesia stepped in to guide G.U. and protect us and the Epitaphs from CC Corp," Ryou paused for a moment to let his girlfriend absorb that information.

Chigusa scrunched up her nose as she thought about that. "Rhodesia is more of a strategist than a fighter," she said slowly and Ryou nodded in confirmation. For a moment he glanced over at the door looking as if he were about to say something, but then he stopped and frowned slightly. When Ryou did speak up again it was on a seemingly different subject.

"Back in The World I remember meeting Yata at the Arche Koeln Waterfall in Hidden Forbidden Radiation," Ryou stated suddenly. Chigusa didn't know where he was going with this, but didn't interrupt. "I wanted to know why he didn't have more people helping G.U. More people fighting against AIDA. Even without an Avatar there were still things that needed to be done. Things we really could have used some help with." He stopped and closed his eyes. A strange smile danced across his lips for a brief moment before he opened his eyes and looked back at Chigusa.

"And do you know what he said? Yata asked me how the Allied Greek force of around 7,000 was able to fend off over a million Persian soldiers for seven days during the Battle of Thermopylae," Ryou shook his head at the memory, "I just stood there staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. To me it looked like he was just spouting off some historical nonsense like always. I didn't even bother to understand and just shrugged my shoulders." Leaning against the back of the chair Ryou crossed his arms. He stared off into space before continuing.

"Yata answered by saying that an army is only as strong as the leaders planning the battles and a strategist is worthless without soldiers to command," Ryou stated and then shook his head. "I didn't understand what he meant until just now." He made a face and rubbed the left side of his head where his bandages were supposed to be—he had taken them off right after coming into the room where no one else but Chigusa was around to see him do it.

"I'm not sure I understand..." Chigusa admitted and Ryou nodded at that.

"What Yata was basically saying was that more people wouldn't make a difference. Especially if they weren't willing to follow his orders the way Pi, Kuhn, Endrance, Sakubo, you and I were." Ryou paused and when Chigusa hummed in understanding he finally came to his point.

"I guess what I'm ultimately trying to say is that all of Rhodesia's skills and genius are useless if we Epitaph User's aren't giving her our full support. We need to show CC Corp and the NAB that we're not going to be pushed around anymore," Ryou's eyes hardened as he said this and Chigusa's face turned to one of worry.

"What are you saying?"

Ryou looked away from her inquiring gaze and swallowed hard before continuing. "I'm saying that we can't keep playing nice with Aihane the executives at CC Corp. Not if we want to _win_ and stop him from capturing more Epitaph's and ultimately the entire network. I think that right now Rhodesia has to be more careful then she would like because she has her own bosses keeping her in check. So if we're going to stop a hacker with no rules than we're going to have to break a few of our own... and if that means using Skeith's power to threaten and intimidate those worthless government suits so they'll give Rhodesia more freedom... then I'll do it," Ryou stated plainly and Chigusa gasped and her eyes widened at that admission.

"But... but we can't just..." Chigusa objected with obvious concern and rising panic. Ryou stopped her by placing his hand over her's gently. He stared deep into her eyes and Chigusa hesitated fighting the urge to look away from his gaze.

"Chigusa.." Ryou said her name softly and with a gentleness she had never heard him use before, "...if we don't stop him... then what do you think Aihane is going to do? When he has all the Epitaph's it's only logical that he'll use them to go after the strongest AI of all and that's Aura. Once Aihane has her at his disposal he'll use her full power to subjugate the entire Internet. Every developed country will crumble... and every government will fall to its knees, begging for mercy," Ryou's voice was cold and it made Chigusa tremble with fear at the thought of what Aihane might be capable of.

Squeezing her hand, Ryou lowered his voice, "Almost every army and government in the world uses some kind of private Internet network to operate and share information. If... no... _when_ Aihane hacks into them he'll have entire arsenals at his fingertips. He'll be able to control satellites, supercomputers, online and phone communications, banks, the stock markets..." he stopped and his eyes darkened, "...and he'll be able to launch bombs and nuclear missiles with the touch of a button. He'll be able to send them _anywhere_ in the world to _any_ country he wants," Ryou warned and Chigusa went pale and looked away.

Gripping her boyfriend's hand tightly, Chigusa closed her eyes as Innis warmth enveloped her like a blanket. _He's right my Lady. We __**must**_ _do this if we are to protect everyone. There is no other option left to us,_ Innis said in a soft comforting voice.

Nodding slowly Chigusa looked back up at Ryou. He saw the look in her eyes and stood up. Sitting down on the hospital bed he pulled her into his arms. Chigusa wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. Ryou rested his chin on the top of her head and rubbed her back gently.

"I know you're scared... I am too, but we can't run away from this... we can't run away from Skeith, Innis, and the billions of other people around the world who are counting on us. I know you don't like the thought of using our Avatar's powers like that, but they don't have a problem with it and there's really nothing else we can do," Ryou murmured softly to her and Chigusa nodded slowly and then sighed, her warm breath gusting across his shirt.

"I know, Ryou... I know."

Chigusa would have said something else but a crushing weight suddenly gripped her chest. A feeling that tore at her heart and soul. Her hand flew up to her chest in shock and she gasped from the intensity of it. Looking up she could see the same look on Ryou's face. Right away, before Innis spoke up, she knew that _something_ terrible had just happened.

* * *

Tarvos could hear Pi sigh in relief as Innis slowly come around. The Second Phase groaned heavily and put a hand to her head. Skeith was supporting her at the moment and he tightened his grip slightly when Innis started to move around.

"Easy there. Are you okay?" Skeith questioned as Tarvos and Macha both floated over to them. Innis hesitated for a moment and her body glowed and pulsed with light as she ran her self-diagnostics. Finally she nodded and Skeith reluctantly dropped his clawed hands from her shoulders so Innis could stand up straight.

"Is Xen gone? That shark AIDA?" Innis asked in a soft voice, ignoring Skeith's inquiry.

Tarvos nodded, "That thing? Yeah, he left with all of the other AIDA. How are you doing?" she pressed taking over for her Epitaph User. Pi was already tired and that battle had definitely worn her out. She could handle things from here while her User rested for a couple minutes.

Innis took a deep breath. "Just... just dizzy. I'll be fine after we get back to the Outer Dungeon. I'll be able to settle down and rest for a while," she assured them and Macha narrowed her eyes and let out a low hiss. "Don't be brave. That shark AIDA... I mean Xen... is another one of the Eight just like Abtrunniger and Dendeira. We need to run through all of your code to make sure it didn't leave any data traces behind," The Temptress chided.

Skeith nodded in agreement. He looked as if he were going to add to the conversation when suddenly his body stiffened and Skeith turned to stare at Tarvos and Macha. Narrowing his eyes at them Skeith tilted his head suspiciously, "We've all met Abtrunniger... but who in the world is Dendeira?" he demanded. Tarvos crossed her arms and sniffed at him, "Another AIDA who has chosen to join us. She hurt herself trying to stop Xen so you don't have to worry about her having ulterior motives," The Avenger said stiffly.

Skeith bristled at her tone. "I was just asking a question. Sorry if I've been out of touch for a while keeping my Epitaph User alive and all. How insensitive of me," he snapped back and Tarvos dropped her arms and glowered back at the Terror of Death.

"And just who is to blame for that? We _would _have helped, but you and Innis just vanished into thin air!" Tarvos then whirled on Innis who had just been gearing up to intervene and break up the fight. Tarvos could feel Pi bristle with anger as well and the woman added, "Those Innis copies you left behind wouldn't breathe so much as a word either. It's pure chance that we managed to find this place in time to help fight. Honestly, next time just ask for help and we'll be there," Pi stated and Tarvos put her hands on her hips to emphasize the point.

"Haseo and Atoli both nearly lost their lives because of your _marvelous_ idea," Macha added, just to twist the knife a little deeper. "We need you to stick around an not go running off on your own if we're going to rescue Corbenik, Fidchell, and... and Gorre," she hesitated at that last part and Skeith jerked backwards and looked around, apparently noticing their absence for the first time.

Skeith looked over at Innis who was just as shocked as he was. The First Phase shook off his surprise and turned back to Tarvos and Macha. "When did that happen? Why didn't we sense it the way we did with Fidchell?" Skeith demanded and Tarvos fidgeted uneasily at the memory of their absent companion. The Avenger fidgeted and allowed Pi to handle this explanation.

"It would seem that shark AIDA, Xen, has the power to disrupt information, data, and code just by being in the area. So if Aihane sent it here to scan the area in preparation for today's attack then... well... it's just a theory, but that may be why you didn't sense Gorre's capture. If you were here at the time it would have affected your own senses," Pi informed them. Tarvos looked over at Macha in a subtle bid for support. The Temptress, however, was busy examining her claws and didn't respond either way.

Tarvos gave the feline a dark look before switching her attention back to Skeith and Innis and added, "So I take it that Haseo and Atoli aren't aware of what's happened to Sakubo?" she questioned. Both Epitaph's exchanged a glance and then nodded affirmatively.

Innis gasped suddenly and her eyes widened, "Oh my gosh! I almost forgot about that!" she blurted suddenly. Skeith's eyes pulled together in a confused frown at that exclamation. Seeing his look Innis shook her head, "The doctor at the hospital said that Chigusa was adopted so I pulled her medical records and managed to find the name of her real parents and siblings. That's what I was doing when that AIDA burst in and attacked me," she informed them.

Tarvos waved it off, "We can deal with that later. Right now we need to get both of you out of this area just in case Aihane makes a second run," she declared. The spike impaled through the middle of her body glowed and a thin stream of data shot out from the tip and opened up a data tear.

Again Pi spoke up through her Avatar, "This will reroute you back to the Outer Dungeon. Macha and I still need to give this place a once over before we return. Then we'll need to check in with Niketas Zykov..." she practically spat. Even Tarvos frowned upon hearing that name.

Endrance, through Macha, spoke up to explain before Skeith and Innis could ask who they were talking about. "Rhodesia has been called out to attend some kind of conference with a couple NAB members. They want to review her current performance or something. A Russian man by the name of Niketas is filling in for her at the moment," His tone of voice coupled with Macha's additional sour look made it clear that neither one of them thought much of this new person.

Skeith stared at them for a couple seconds and then let it go. He floated backwards and motioned for Innis to go ahead of him. The Mirage of Deceit nodded a thank you to him and went through the data tear. The Terror of Death hesitated for a moment and looked around the torn up web space before following after Innis.

Tarvos turned back to Macha so she could give her directions on what to do. They needed to split up and scan the code in this area so the CC Corp engineers and technicians could examine it and figure out more about that strange AIDA known as Xen. Before she could say anything else, though, the space above their heads exploded. The graphics rippled and a crack shot through the air before shattering out like glass.

"You!" Tarvos exclaimed in shock as Xen himself came slicing down towards them. It moved with lightning speed, jaws and whirling teeth open wide to take a bite out of her.

"Tarvos look out!" The voice that shouted this was a mixture of Macha's and Endrance's.

The Avenger was harshly shoved aside and she looked over her shoulder just in time to see Macha slip into the space she had just been in. The shark slammed right into Macha's side and clamped down on the feline's slim body. Black dots burst out from between the Xen's jaws as his sharp teeth tore deep into the Epitaph's data. Slinging his head back and forth, the shark hissed furiously as he whipped Macha back and forth. The Sixth Phase snarled and scratched at Xen with her claws to little effect. She threw several orange Energy Rings at the AIDA and they sliced into shark's back, but Xen seemed oblivious to the attacks.

Horrified Tarvos and Pi both watched helplessly as the AIDA finally tossed Macha to the side. Xen rumbled loudly and stretched his mouth wide as a black and purple orb formed deep in its throat. Macha used Seductive Voice and the high-pitched sound vibration rippled through the air towards the shark, but dissipated immediately when it came in contact with the opposing AI's body.

Tarvos recovered her composure and used Stake of Death. Nine large needles shot out and pierced Xen's body through. Shaking it off the shark continued to gather energy. Black dots swarmed around and added to the size of the orb in Xen's mouth. A ripple passed through his body and fins. Starting with his tail and ending at his head. The wave swirled down and Xen's mouth glowed as he fired the ball of energy out towards Macha who tried to dodge. When the orb curved around and followed her she snarled angrily and used Seductive Voice followed Bewitching Wind to try and protect herself.

Immediately, Tarvos rushed over to try and protect her fellow Epitaph. However, Xen proved faster and the orb shot through all of Macha's attacks and hit the large rose beneath her. Instead of exploding the energy was _absorbed_ into The Temptress body. Tarvos stopped and could only watch helplessly as dark lines began to radiated out across the large rose. They stretched out from the center of impact and then... vanished just as suddenly as they had appeared.

"Macha...? Are you..." Tarvos never got to finish her sentence.

A massive jet of energy suddenly burst out from one side of the large flower. Macha doubled over as more exploded out from all over her body. Black AIDA dots danced around the jagged edges and ate away at them as the Sixth Phase clutched her head in pain. Looking closer Tarvos could see that the Macha's code was coming apart and dissolving rapidly.

Xen gave them a wicked grin and wriggled with delight. "No one beats me! No one fights me! Aihane will be unhappy, most with me. Won't let me eat! Your fault, all your fault! Tear you apart! Tear you to pieces!" he babbled on before slicing open a data tear with his tail. Whirling around Xen slipped through it and the corridor sealed shut behind him, but Tarvos didn't have time to wonder about his words or where he was going.

"It's corrupting Macha's data! We have to use Data Drain on her and Endrance!" Pi ordered snapping the Avatar out of her daze. Tarvos could hear Endrance screaming as Xen's attack continued to tear the Epitaph apart from the inside out.

The stake in her torso glowed with power as the Data Drain cannon formed around it. Tarvos fired it at Macha and pulled all of the AIDA's data away from her—altering it and changing it into harmless code before absorbing it into her own body.

When it was done the black dots faded away and the energy jetting out from her body dissipated as well. Macha's body was heavily damaged and you could easily broken data and symbols streaming through the holes in her body.

Weakly Macha lifted her head, "Endrance... Kaoru...I'm...so sorry..." she whispered before her eyes closed and her body started to fall. Tarvos dashed over and caught her before she could fall too far, but other then that she didn't know what to do.

What was that attack Xen had thrown at her? And what had it done to her data? What had it done to Endrance who was still connected with her?

Tarvos could feel Pi panicking and could tell that something had happened to Kaoru in the real world. Her User was shouting for help and screaming commands at the staff.

"Tarvos! Get out of that area NOW! Bring Macha back to the Outer Dungeon so we can stabilize her!" Pi ordered and Tarvos nodded and opened up a path. A data tear peeled open in front of her and the Epitaph dove through it. Mentally she cursed Aihane as the network streamed by around her.

_We lost... again._

* * *

Rhodesia took a deep breath and tried the number one more time. Still no one. Just like the _last three times_ she had tried. Frustrated she chewed on the end of her thumb to try and ease her frayed nerves. The call wouldn't automatically connect of course. Once the signal reached the Outer Dungeon one of the Epitaphs had to pick it up and would then connect it and route it through a random tower to keep them from being overheard. Magus or Abtrunniger always picked up if they were there. If they weren't then it was usually Macha who connected the lines and spoke to her.

She kept trying but no one was answering or even sending her a text. That happened once when Abtrunniger was off on assignment and Magus was in The World fending off a couple AIDA that Aihane had sent to try and bring down the Delta Server. It was one of those automated apology messages complete with a smiley face emoticon from Magus and a song clip from Abtrunniger.

_Not even that right now. Where is everybody? _Rhodesia pursed her lips and punched the elevator button a little harder. Stupid machines took forever and she didn't have much patience or time to spare. If it were another CC Corp employee, G.U. technician, or even a NAB member trying to contact one of the Epitaph's than it would be expected, even normal—the Avatar's held rather low opinions of said people. But it was _highly_ unusual for the Epitaphs not to respond to _her._

Even Reiko had grudgingly admitted that the Epitaphs all had a special affinity for the African woman. Of course she had then added, "...although I can't imagine _why_" in a rather scornful tone before turning back to her duties. Tensions between the two women had not yet eased.

A small ding announced the arrival of the elevator and Rhodesia gave a sigh of relief as she stepped into it. After pressing the button for the floor she wanted Rhodesia leaned back slightly and crossed her arms. She tapped her fingers impatiently as the floor's ticked by. She was actually traveling _down_ into the basement levels rather than _up_ into the sky scraper. The building had a total of 25 floors, which was nothing compared to some of the more massive structures surrounding it.

All of the living quarters were above ground between floors 2 and 10 with the Epitaph's being closer to the ground in case of emergency. Levels 6 through 15 were the kitchens and accompanying cafeteria, laundry rooms, dry cleaning services, housekeeping, even a beauty parlor, barber shop, medical clinic, pharmacy, and a couple different restaurants. The rest of the floors were offices, conference rooms, and metal racks containing computers and backup information. All of the truly serious and important work was done below street level, however.

The building had its own computer server, cellphone tower, private satellite dishes, radio station station, car garage and more. It was the G.U. Headquarters Complex. More commonly know just as the G.U. Building to those living and working here. It had a rather bland and unassuming front that drew little attention from the everyday passerby on the street. It wasn't hidden or out in the middle of the desert somewhere, but rather it was right under everyone's nose. That was probably the main reason as to why Aihane had yet to find them.

Basement Floor 5, a feminine electronic voice announced as the door opened. Rhodesia stepped out into the plain white hallway. The lights were turned down both to simulate the darkness outside and help keep the staff's internal, biological clocks working properly down here were there were no windows or natural light.

Passing several control stations and storage rooms, Rhodesia sighed in relief as she came to the stainless steel, soundproof, electromagnetic doors at the end of the hallway. She put her hand on the scanner on the door's left side and a blue light slowly scanned her fingerprints.

Lean forward for retinal scan.

Rhodesia did so another blue light examined her eyes before beeping and turning green.

Please state your name.

"Rhodesia Tsanvi Kajongwe."

Voice print accepted. Level 6 clearance for Network Administration Bureau Ambassador Rhodesia.

The door mechanisms clicked and whirred before the door unlocked and slid apart. There was a manual system but that would only work if the power was out or if the backup generator came on.

Rhodesia stepped inside the room and looked around at the scarce skeleton crew currently here. The room was filled with long desks and a large HD screen for presentations and demonstrations. Epitaph User's came here to use these computers whenever there was an assignment for them. The high powered supercomputers and the other technicians would be able to provide backup support for them no matter what the situation, whether it was a fight or just gathering, hiding, or erasing information.

Now everyone was in a frenzy and the large HD screen was flashing an ruby red _EMERGENCY_ warning for everyone to see. It was night time so the only light was from the computer monitors stationed around the room or the small desk lamps stationed next to them. The floor sloped down slightly and everyone was standing up and staring over at small crowd that had gathered down near the bottom of the room.

It was evident that something had _just_ happened because people were still standing up and only one or two had gathered down and were standing next to a special panel of computers reserved for Epitaph User's only.

Rhodesia's heart skipped a beat when she realized this. Breaking into a run, the woman hurried down to see what was going on, shoving the other staff members out of her way in the process. Sick to her stomach she prayed desperately for it not to be true... but deep down she already knew that something _horrible_ had happened to him.

When the crowd finally parted Rhodesia could see Kaoru lying there on the floor. His M2D was still covering his eyes. His body was ridged and he was shaking and twitching wildly. Letting out a weak cry, Kaoru continued to spasm wildly.

"Kaoru!"

Roughly pushing a man out of her way, Rhodesia fell down to her knees and pulled Kaoru into her arms holding his body close as he reached out for something.

"Macha...! Please...! Don't... not...her too. Don't take her from me too!" Kaoru pleaded desperately. The painfully thin young man was whimpering and had tears streaming down his face. Jerking his head to the side, Kaoru suddenly started screaming and clutched at his chest. Wildly he started thrashing around and clawing at everything he could get purchase on. Not knowing what else to do Rhodesia pulled him tighter to keep Kaoru from hurting himself. "_You're killing her!_" Kaoru exclaimed in torment. He let out another choked cry and fell limp as the computers and electronics around them sparked with static and blinked off for a brief second before coming online.

"Kaoru! Kaoru!" Rhodesia shook him and was horrified when his head merely lolled to the side.

Turning to the ever growing crowd around her, Rhodesia demanded answers.

"What happened!" she questioned looking up into Reiko's face. The Epitaph User was standing beside her and was white as a sheet. She put a hand over her mouth and shook her head. Either unable or incapable of speaking in this situation.

Disgusted, Rhodesia turned back to Kaoru. The woman hesitated for a moment before carefully peeling the M2D from off his face. The screen was pitted with black spots and broken sentences. Tossing it aside she leaned closer to her close friend, but he was just staring straight ahead through hollow eyes. Fighting back tears of her own Rhodesia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Fighting back her fear, she turned to the other staff members.

"Standing around why are you? Call medics, ambulance, _something_!" It was a ragged, desperate plea rather then the commanding tone it should have been.

Gently Rhodesia stroked Kaoru's face and brushed his hair back before closing his eyes. Still he didn't respond or even twitch when she touched him.

_Not him... please... __**anyone**__ but him,_ Rhodesia let out a choked sob and shook her head. Of all the people in the world, why did Aihane have to go after the one person who had already suffered the most? The one who had nothing left to give?

* * *

**AN:** First off let me say that the title of this chapter HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING! It's _not_ a hint as to what's going to happen to Kaoru. Its _not_ some grisly prophecy about another one of the Epitaph User's dying. And it most certainly is not about one of the Avatar's dying either (because the story would end if that happened).

I just decided to put that in to see if I could scare a few of you. :)

Yes, I know I have a twisted sense of humor. Feel free to scold me for it if you like.

Back to the story though. Ryou is ready to step up and use Skeith to put those CC Corp sissies in their place, Chigusa isn't so sure about using force, but with Innis' assurance she'll warm up to the idea... kind of. Meanwhile, Innis herself has no side effects from being attacked by AIDA.

As for Macha and Endrance/Kaoru though... welllllll, you'll just have to wait and see what happens to them. I can't let the whole story slip out can I?

On another note I promised one of my readers a midweek update so here it is. I'll proofread it and have it reposted by this weekend. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review and check out my forum! Ask any question you want and I shall answer! Until next time everybody!


	38. Catching Up

**AN:** It would seem there's another little matter that I overlooked. So I thought I would bring this matter to light and clear it up before getting on with the chapter.

I was running through the dothack wiki when I decided to look up some info on the World Network Commission, which of course was created to regulate the internet in the world we all know as the .hack universe. Turns out the WNC was then disbanded after the Second Network Crisis and then reborn as the _Network Administration Bureau_ in 3017. Masato Indou, known more commonly as Ovan, actually worked for them as an investigator until an international warrant for his arrest was issued.

Near the end of the G.U. trilogy the little news clips/articles show that an anonymous tip from a CC Corp employee reveals that the company is blaming Masato for their own wrong doings. You can see players of The World protesting outside the building in one of the news clips too.

I can't believe I didn't notice that. I'm so embarrassed.....

So I have and will correct my errors in this and previous chapters. From now on the World Network Commission will be referred to as the Network Administration Bureau as I should have been doing already. Sorry bout that my dear readers. There will be little reminders throughout the story for those of you who aren't inclined to slog through this Author's Note, though. :)

That's all. Go on and please enjoy the chapter!

--

Time-line Update: Wednesday, mid-morning, December 4th.

--

Chapter 38: Catching Up

* * *

Tomonari yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was exhausted from the chaos of last night. Abtrunniger and his own Avatar Magus were the defacto sentries of the Outer Dungeon. Mostly they just stayed there monitoring news feeds, police intel, government lines, The World forums, and generally going on missions that Rhodesia had assigned them. The AIDA attack last night had rattled all of them severely, though. Kaoru was currently hospitalized along with Iori who was the player behind Sakubo.

Rhodesia had jumped into the ambulance along with Kaoru and gone to the hospital with him. Afterwards she had sent a text message to Magus saying that he was comatose and she would be staying with him for awhile. Hours had passed since then now and they hadn't heard word from the woman since.

Right now Tomonari was still up in his room slouching in front of the new personal computer he had received. They—or more specifically Takumi—had given it to him when Project G.U. first put him up in this awesome new apartment suite. It was easily twice or even three times the size of his last place in Kanazawa and practically a mega mansion compared to most other places here in Tokyo. No expense had been spared or withheld when it came to these residences.

Thinking back to that actual moment was rather bittersweet. Tomonari had been in The World playing as Kuhn when Yata called him to the deck of Net Slum Tartarga and told him flat-out that he was moving. It had taken a couple minutes before Tomonari realized what that implied.

True to Yata's word a couple men in black suits and dark sunglasses had shown up at his apartment door and told him to start packing his clothes and any personal items that he wanted. Everything else would and hand been taken care of.

_So here I am in the lap of luxury... it would feel better if there wasn't some maniacal hacker out to kill me and steal my Epitaph,_ Tomonari yawned once more and finally pulled his M2D back over his eyes. The Outer Dungeon unfolded around him—bustling with activity.

* * *

Kuhn stretched and then put his chin in his hands. There were G.U. employees swarming all around Macha, working hard to repair her damaged code. Tarvos was on her sleep cycle right now and was off in a quiet corner of the Outer Dungeon resting.

Skeith and Innis had come back here and were down at the other end of the hallway. Currently they were talking with Abtrunniger and Dendeira. The two AIDA were bringing them up to date on what had happened in their absence. Namely the attack on Iori and Gorre and Rhodesia being temporarily replaced by that Russian dude.

Kuhn stared over at the Epitaphs and AIDA for a moment before turning his attention back to the matter at hand. Magus was currently slogging through police reports, various government documents, security tapes, audio recordings, and various news feeds that were currently playing. Rhodesia had given them the job of monitoring the public forums, media outlets, and government agencies to make sure that no information about Project G.U. was leaked to the media before the Network Administration Bureau was ready.

If it was up to Rhodesia than the Avatar's, Epitaph Users, and the true nature of AIDA would already have been revealed to the public. She felt that they had the right to know what was going on and why all of these problems were happening with the technology they used every deserved to know why their families had been killed by faulty car systems, broken traffic lights, haywire autopilot systems in airplanes, and more. Still the Network Administration Bureau kept holding off on their "big announcement" and Rhodesia was starting to grow impatient.

_But when you get back to the matter at hand there really isn't much for **me** to do,_ Kuhn reflected with a heavy sigh. Other then fending off AIDA fragments that Aihane sent after various players and fixing damaged code in various areas... there just wasn't much for him to do. He could use computers and the internet just fine, but he wasn't particularly skilled at it. He could set up a website, design a blog, and a host of other things, but pretty much everyone could do that with a little training and help.

_I don't have a fancy degree like Pi... like Reiko. I'm basically just your average guy. CC Corp is only keeping me around because I'm the Epitaph User Magus has chosen. _Kuhn couldn't help but glance up at his Avatar who was working diligently at his assignment. He hadn't said a word since that shark AIDA attacked Macha and clearly wasn't interested in conversation. Even now Kuhn could tell that Magus was merely tolerating his User's presence. Letting him stick around because he was a friend.

_Some days are like that... you tolerate your friends just because they're your friends, _Kuhn thought as Magus looked over his shoulder at the gaggle of G.U. techs who were hurrying through a scan of Macha's code to make sure there were no traces of infection.

Magus narrowed his eyes and his tail snapped like a whip in irritation. He didn't want those engineers here in the Outer Dungeon in the first place, much less swarming around The Temptress like so many flies.

"They're just doing their jobs. Try and ignore them will you?" Kuhn gently advised him. Magus grunted and turned back to the screens in front of him. Not saying a word and not responding in any other way. The normally happy Avatar_ was not_ in a good mood and nothing his partner said was calming him down. All of the Epitaphs disliked the CC Corp members and any G.U. employees not directly under Rhodesia's authority. Now, however, his attitude had turned downright hostile and Kuhn was worried that his usually obedient Avatar might actually attack someone before the day was over.

Picking up on his thoughts, Magus looked down at Kuhn and then back over at the group of techs. The Propagation stared at them for several seconds before narrowing his eyes in a considering manner.

"Magus...." Kuhn said in a warning tone. The Epitaph turned back to him and sniffed in disdain before going back to his work. Heaving a sigh Kuhn rubbed his neck uncomfortably. Not only was he feeling particularly useless right now, but his own Avatar was refusing to speak to anyone and had completely shut himself off.

_I can't sense his thoughts and feelings like I could before. This whole attack on Macha has really angered him. I just hope he doesn't go and do something rash, _Kuhn grimaced at the thought. Magus doing such a thing was almost impossible to imagine, but his current behavior was _very_ abnormal and Kuhn didn't want to take any chances. If things continued like this then he was going to call Abtrunniger for back up and get all of these other technicians and computer engineers out of here.

* * *

Iori's father, Taeru, groaned and stretched his legs. He sat up on the cot the hospital staff had provided for him and looked over at his son. The little boy's body had been torn apart by that wretched machine. One of those new fangled autonomous, AI controlled devices the World Network Commission kept pushing and promoting.

_Wait, they aren't the WNC anymore are they? That organization was disbanded after the Second Network Crisis and has now been reborn as the Network Administration Bureau. Doesn't matter what you call them though. They have their own agenda and don't take kindly to others interfering with their plans, _Taeru thought sourly.

Taeru had never liked the machines or the AI's that controlled them. The NAB and news agencies reported that they were "intelligent, thinking beings" and it would be _immoral _to destroy them. So instead they had decided to work with the... the creatures, or whatever they were and use them in machines, airplanes, security systems, and various other computers. There was plenty of speculation floating around, but they refused to give anymore information about how the AI's came to be or who really created them.

The man scowled and stood up. Taeru rubbed his bad leg and limped over to the hospital bed. Only one person was allowed to stay the night for security reasons, so his wife was currently staying at home. She would come by and stay with Iori during the day and then sleep on the cot throughout the night while he went back to work.

Leaning on the rail, Taeru stared down at his son and the injuries marring his small frame. The attack had taken place two days ago while Iori was on a school field trip. He still remembered coming home and seeing the boy run up to him, brimming with excitement as he explained that they would be getting a sneak peek at the new MAKO civilian service aqua-shark. Monday morning they had sent Iori off to school without a second thought, only to receive a call later on saying that he was in the hospital.

To make matters worse there were all sorts of rumors flying around on the news networks. Many of them were saying that Iori was some kind of 'human experiment' for CC Corp. Others slammed the game company for using 'child labor' and were demanding that the CEO and other leaders be brought to justice.

_I don't care about any of that. I just want someone to tell me why this happened and what they're going to do about it, _Taeru thought darkly. Reaching his hand out he placed his palm on Iori's forehead. His son hadn't woken up yet, but it had only been two days so that wasn't very surprising. Even so the wait was just about killing both him and his wife.

What other damage had been done? Was Iori paralyzed? Brain damaged?

The doctors had finished setting Iori's broken bones and the surgeons had sewn up the horrid gashes that had been caused by the MAKO's metal teeth. Almost all of his body was covered in bandages and thick immobilizing casts. He couldn't be allowed to move much, if at all, otherwise his cuts might open up again. The risk of infection was already high because of the amount of injuries Iori had received, they didn't need any more problems.

_They don't know how long it will be before he wakes up... or if he'll even wake up at all. _Taeru was frustrated, angry, and wanted answers. Why did this have to happen to Iori? Why had that machine gone after his son in particular?

The man grimaced and rubbed his face wearily. It wasn't that Taeru _wanted_ someone else to be forced to deal with such a horrible situation... but it didn't make sense that _only_ Iori had been hurt. There were over a dozen children at the convention center on Monday, yet not a single one of them had been injured or even scratched. It didn't make sense.

Straightening up, Taeru pulled his hand back and headed out towards the door. Taking a deep breath he walked down to the nurse's station and waited for one of the ladies to finish talking on the telephone. When they were finished Taeru looked around carefully and then leaned forward so that he could speak in relative privacy.

"Hello, I wanted to talk to you about the hospital bills for my son Iori's care. I was hoping we could work out a payment plan of some kind..." Taeru trailed off when he noticed the woman giving him a strange look. "What? Is something wrong?" he asked with a mix of curiosity and worry. The nurse merely shook her head.

"Not at all sir, but..." she hesitated and flipped through a couple papers on her desk. "Well, it's just that a..." again she paused and glanced around before lowering her voice. "A man from the... Network Administration Bureau came by just a few minutes ago and paid for everything. He said that CC Corp would be taking care of all the hospital bills and if there were any problems with them, then we were to call him," she explained with a shrug of her shoulders. Pulling out a card she set it up on the counter for him to look at.

"This is the number and name he gave me. He wanted you to call him as soon as you possibly could," she relayed to him before turning away to answer the ringing telephone.

"I'm afraid that will not be necessary." A thick, accented voice from behind him stated.

Turning around, Taeru saw a young foreign man in a crisp black suit standing there behind him. The stranger had sandy blonde hair and a slight beard that was kept well trimmed. He wore mirrored sunglasses over his eyes and now took them off and slid them into his suit pocket.

"My name is Niketas Zykov from the Network Administration Bureau, formerly known as the World Network Commission. Could you please come with me? There are things we must discuss," he offered, extending a hand back towards Iori's room. His thick accent made it a little difficult to understand him. He sounded as if he were Russian.

Taeru stared down at the otherwise blank card in shock. Above the telephone number it had a name, Niketas Zykov—obviously not Japanese. He looked back up at the man now standing before him and a cold shiver slid down his spine. Immediately he remembered all of those rumors the news networks had been spreading about Iori working for CC Corp. He hadn't believed that for a second, but... now? Now he wasn't sure what to think. Not only had CC Corp stepped in, but a member of the NAB had even come by to help settle matters as well.

Taeru hesitated for a moment before taking a few steps forward and walking beside Niketas Zykov as they headed back to the hospital room. When they were there, the man closed the door and glanced down at Iori's inert body before switching his gaze back to Taeru.

"As I said before I am from the Network Administration Bureau and we would like to take the opportunity to explain what happened to your son. I'm afraid this matter is very grave and not something to be taken lightly. A public hospital is not the place to explain things. We would like you and your wife to come with us so that the matter can be explained fully," Niketas offered him. His lips twitched slightly with minor distaste as he finished his sentence.

Taeru didn't know what to say. His mouth went dry and it took a moment before he could find his voice.

"So it is true... those rumors on the news about Iori working for CC Corp... its all true isn't it?" Taeru demanded as his anger started to rise. Niketas stared back at him through calm hazel eyes.

"Your son is one of a small group of special people. These people each control one of Eight Artificial Intelligence systems that have been used to ward off the AIDA virus. CC Corp has had enough publicity problems without employing children as well. Iori volunteered his help and there was little else CC Corp could do. They had no choice, but to accept his offer," Niketas explained as his eyes darted about the room. He was scanning every inch as if he expected the place to be bugged.

Then again who was to say it wasn't?

_Just what kind of people has Iori gotten himself involved with? I know he likes to play that game The World, but... _Taeru shook his head and held up a hand to forestall any more comments. He sat down in the chair behind him and idly rubbed his bad leg as he tried to figure this out. _You wanted answers well here they are being handed to you on a silver platter,_ Taeru reflected sourly.

"What about that machine? What are they going to do to the AI that nearly killed my son?" Taeru questioned as more of his bitter attitude returned.

Niketas gave a tiny smile, "Perhaps you would like to see for yourself? The AI has been quarantined until a decision can be reached on this matter. We can talk more about that later on. There are a few other families dealing with... rather similar circumstances and you might find their experiences rather... enlightening," the Russian man offered again. Taeru frowned at that and stared over at his son. He didn't know what was going on and if this man could offer an explanation about why his son was like this... then he would listen to whatever Niketas Zykov had to say.

"I have to call my wife. After that, though... we'll go with you... but this explanation had _better_ be good. After all my son is lying in a hospital bed with injuries that will most likely be permanent and even more emotional scars on top of the problems he already has," Taeru forewarned. Niketas put his sunglasses back on and gave the man a rueful smile.

"I'm sure you will find our... report of the matter more than satisfying. Someone will contact you later to bring you to the location. Give me a call if your situation changes or you have some questions, " Niketas said with a smirk. He nodded to Taeru before turning around leaving the room just as suddenly and mysteriously as he had appeared.

* * *

Shino sighed heavily as she idly flipped through the TV stations. Practically all of them were, or had just finished, showing pictures and video of the fire that had engulfed the secluded forest mansion. Those that weren't talking about the fire had zoomed in on the fact that Masato Indou, the man accused of creating the AIDA virus, had been living there along with a girl by the name of Shino Nanao—that would be her of course. It had only been two days so nothing was confirmed yet, but everyone was dying to know who she was and why she was with Masato.

Masato had been cleared of all charges and the NAB had retracted their warrant and announced that they were conducting a serious investigation of CC Corp to see if they had violated Japanese or International law. Meanwhile, most people had rallied behind him and were furious at CC Corp for accusing an "innocent man" and trying to blame him for their own shady business deals and coverups. Almost of the comments coming in to the main TV station were favorable.

_Well, he's not exactly innocent, but it's better than having even more people trying to hurt him. Having his Epitaph taken away was hard enough on Masato. Aihane, the man Haseo told me about, must have sent that guy and his dobermans to kill us. He must be trying to eliminate everyone so that even if the Avatar's are recovered... they won't be able to reconnect with their current Epitaph User,_ Shino considered.

She turned the sound up slightly and put the remote down so she could watch the rest of the news report. The press was continually trying to get into the hospital for an interview and a couple had managed to make it up into her room. Security had rushed in seconds later and promptly pulled them out of the room and through the front doors of the hospital.

Masato himself was in a different room. They had been separated from each other and she hadn't seen him since. After endless pestering she had finally gotten one of the nurse's to confess that he was being held in the small Psychiatry Ward on the third floor.

_Being in town must be aggravating him again. Masato was getting better, but being around all of the machines and unique technology in the hospital must be affecting him in some way. The question is how much? Is it just a headache? Or has he completely regressed to when we first arrived and he wouldn't even talk? _Shino scowled at the TV screen in front of her, looking for answers.

_The police said that they contacted the Network Administration Bureau and everything was already taken care of. I haven't been able to get a hold of Rhodesia, but I assume she's heard about the fire by now. So all we can do is wait around and see what happens next_.Shino fidgeted and looked over at the phone sitting beside her. Her mother must be frantic with worry, but Shino knew that any and all calls made from this room were probably being monitored. Shino didn't want anyone to catch on to the fact that she knew Rhodesia. Some instinct warned that it wouldn't be a very good idea.

Settling back against the pillows, Shino crossed her arms and pursed her lips as the news story rolled on. Raiden, Mera, and Nezumiiro had been isolated and quarantined in a Veterinarian Hospital an hour away. Nezumiiro was the German Shepherd that Nareo's policeman son had trained and given to them. All three canines had been fixed up and would be released from Quarantine on Friday morning.

_Hopefully I'll be out of here by then as well, _Shino frowned and picked up the remote to change the channel. Her injuries were doing well and the doctors were really just making sure that none of the wounds got infected. The deep bites on her neck and ankle were the most troubling, but they had both cleaned up nicely and were healing rapidly. Her ankle wound was the worst and the bandages had to be removed and the stitches checked regularly, but the doctor expected it to heal up just fine with only a slight scar, as long as she was careful and used the crutches they had given her.

_I should be released Friday as well. So unless something happens and Rhodesia or the NAB gives us a new place I've got no where else to go_...

Shino looked back over at the telephone and gave a heavy sigh. She was going to go crazy if she just sat here waiting for something else to blow up, fly threw the window, or catch on fire. Masato had been pushed to the back of her mind; if she started thinking about him she would either go crazy, burst out of her hospital room demanding answers, or break down in tears. Better to call her mother now and just get it over with.

* * *

Sentou stared down at his cup solemnly. He and Akira had come to a small coffee shop to talk and catch up. They had both come to Tokyo for Takumi's memorial and would be heading back to their respective apartments in a few more days. Before that happened, though, there was one more thing he wanted to discuss with her.

"I... I can't stop thinking about what Elk... about what Kaoru said to us during Takumi's memorial," Sentou confessed. Their former friend and teammate had been surprisingly hostile and bitter. Thinking back on the situation, though, he couldn't really blame Kaoru for feeling and thinking that way. Akira nodded slowly in agreement.

"He kept playing the game while we grew up and left it behind. That would have been fine... _if _we had kept in touch with him the way we should have," Akira took a sip of her espresso and shook her head. "...but we didn't. We went on with our lives and just grew apart. The World didn't need us and Aura had everything under control so we left. There was nothing wrong with that decision." Akira put her cup down and sighed slightly as Sentou finally looked up at her.

"Yeah... it was not coming _back_ that was the problem. Whether we like it or not we are Kite and BlackRose... the legendary dothackers who helped save The Word... online and off. When these problems started coming up and people started falling into comas again we should have gone back to see if there was something we could do," Sentou admitted softly as his fingers tightened around his own cup of coffee. He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. "We _owed_ it to Aura to come back... but we didn't... we let her down," Sentou's eyes darkened with self-reproach.

Akira's eyes softened and she leaned forward with her chin in her palm.

"So what do you want to do? I've seen the news reports and message boards. Big things are happening the The World all over again. Takumi's suicide is proof enough of that. The question is what we're going to do about it?" Akira watched her friend carefully as he frowned and over at a TV in the corner. It was currently playing a news report about Masato Indou and a girl by the name of Shino Nanao. Sentou didn't know who the girl was, but he did know that the former was a member of the Network Administration Bureau who had been accused of creating and spreading the AIDA virus. That turned out to be a false accusation and Masato Indou had been cleared of all charges.

Now Masato was in the news again because the secluded mansion he had been living at had caught fire in a horrible act of arson. He and the girl Shino had been deliberately attacked and the police believed that someone was trying to kill them to cover their own tracks.

Akira was right... something was going on and it was clear that the current protectors of The World were rapidly losing the fight. Turning back to her, Sentou's eyes hardened with determination.

"Aura, The World, Kaoru, and all the players... they're in trouble and they need all the help they can get. We need to go back... we _have_ to go back. Just going back to Kanazawa University and getting on with my life isn't an option anymore. I can't ignore what's happening. I have to do _something_," Sentou stated urgently.

Humming at that, Akira leaned back in her chair and stared out of the window silently. Her expression unreadable. They sat in silence for a couple long minutes before she spoke up again.

"How? We don't really have any contacts there with CC Corp anymore. We can't just go waltzing up and offer our support you know," Akira pointed out calmly. She wasn't as impetuous and brash as she used to be. The tough attitude that she had adopted while trying to bring her younger brother out of his coma had been dropped as well. At 22 years of age, Akira Hayami had definitely mellowed out and matured since their time together in The World. Still, Sentou knew she was right. There wasn't much for them to do at the moment no matter how badly they wanted to help.

Sentou scowled and gave her a sour look, "Gee, Akira you sure know how to make a guy feel important don't you?" he grumbled at her. Akira merely smiled in response and gave him a teasing grin.

"Just keeping you down here on earth my friend."

Taking another sip of her drink, Akira mulled over the matter for a moment before tilting her head slightly. "You know... if we leave a message on The World forums then I'm sure we'll get a response from someone important at CC Corp in no time. I used that trick when I wanted to contact Helba once. No reason to think it wouldn't work again," she said it so calmly and matter-of-factly that all Sentou could do was stare at her. A second later his incredulous look melted into a frown.

"You already had this figured out didn't you?"

"You never were the most decisive person I've ever seen you know. Just thought I'd mention it since you didn't seem to be drawing your own conclusions," Akira stated with a bright smile. Sentou snorted and ran a hand through his short hair.

"Yeah, whatever. So when are we going to do this?"

"Why not right now? There's probably a thousand internet cafe's around here."

"...now? As in _now_, now?"

"Would you rather spend some time studying in your dorm room? Because I've got better things to do than sit around twiddling my thumbs."

"All right, all right, point taken. And here I thought you had changed."

"Just looking at things realistically," Akira pointed out to him. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder before standing up. "Let's do this. These guys need whatever help they can get and we're _long_ overdue for our appointment. We can't run away this time," she said firmly. The look on her face was the same iron clad look of determination that Sentou remembered from the old days.

Smiling to himself, Sentou stood up and grabbed his coffee to take along with him.

"After you ma'am."

"Oh! He does have manners after all!" Akira said with a coy wink. Sentou shrugged and looked away in slight embarrassment. They had been calling each other every day for a while now and he was hoping that their current friendship would turn into something more... much more.

_But that can wait until we get this matter resolved. Aura needs us and I'm not going to let her down this time, _Sentou thought as they headed out of the cafe.

* * *

Ren stumbled into the front of the store and dropped the computer down onto the counter. Her full name was Akina Ren Evans, but she preferred to go by her middle name.

"What in the world did they build this thing with? Car parts? It's like 50 pounds!" Ren grumbled angrily. She shoved the machine forward so it wouldn't fall of the counter and then turned to her twin brother with a dark look. Panting heavily she turned to her twin, who was sitting with his black boots up on the counter and his e-book reader in hand. She glared fiercely at him.

"Oh, no, don't get up! I can do it just fine on my own!" She put her hands on her hips as Kisho Yasuo Evans slowly raised his eyes and glanced over at the homemade computer. He turned back to her and slowly looked her up and down.

"I like your outfit. Preparing for a day of lounging around the house are we?" Kisho stated dryly in his unusually deep voice before turning back to his e-reader so he could continue reading. Of course he was referring to her white tank-top undershirt, black and gray camouflage pants, and black shoes. Together they ran an electronic's shop in Akihabara, known worldwide as the Electric Town of Tokyo, Japan. Parts, wires, new machines, tools, security software, all the latest programs, and video games could be found in their crowded, but modestly-sized shop.

It was just the two of them here and the shop was booming. It was mostly people looking to build something who came in to purchase items, but another large part of their business came from repairs. Both Ren and Kisho had computer engineering degrees and were also hackers who were famous on the internet. They had actually done a lot of work for the Network Administration Bureau and had received special certification from the organization that

allowed them to continue their code hacking ways. As long as they were available, willing, and got the job done as requested than the NAB basically looked the other way. Not a bad way to live really. They weren't rich, but they definitely were far from poor.

None of those things were important at the moment, however. What mattered was the slight that Kisho had so _lovingly_ thrown at her.

Ren narrowed her eyes and looked askance at her twin's attire. Kisho was decked out in a tight black tank top and black and red arm warmers with hooks and spikes all up and down the top and sides. This came complete with, yes, a black skirt that had metal snaps and rings all over and across them. The 25 year old man even had makeup, eye shadow, and black eye liner on. His black nail polished fingernails were perfectly manicured as well. The boots on his feet were something straight from a Visual Kei band and had silver fox heads decorating the sides.

And he had the audacity to talk about _her_ outfit?

"Hey! I may be sloppy but at least I'm not going to scare off the customers!" Ren retaliated defensively. Kisho hummed and flipped to the next page of his e-book. Looking up he arched an perfectly trimmed eyebrow and gave her a smug grin.

"I don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about. Now hurry up and get that computer ready for Mrs. Ikeshu, she'll be by to pick it up any minute now. I have an appointment with my stylist in an hour and a half. Red streaks for my hair," Kisho threw in as he brushed a strand of his long, straight black hair out of his eyes.

Ren frowned at him and rested an arm on the unbelievably heavy computer that they had just finished repairing. "What for? You look strange enough as it is without _adding_ to the freakshow," she stated snidely. Kisho glanced up at her own hair. It just brushed her shoulders and was currently a lovely shade of violet.

"Mmm." Kisho hummed and turned back to his reading.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

"I will not deign to answer such an obvious statement."

"Well, aren't we _holier-than-thou_ today?" Ren sneered at him. She was kept from saying anything else when a small beep came from the laptop that was sitting on the counter next to the cash register and Kisho's feet. It was a special chime that they had both heard before, but only on rare occasions.

The twins exchanged a look and Kisho put his feet down. Sitting up straight he pulled the laptop closer to him and examined the screen for a moment. Ren walked over to her brother and stared over his shoulder as Kisho examined the message. After a moment he leaned back and glanced over his shoulder at her.

"We've got a hit. Looks like a real one this time. Someone looked at Narina's adoption records," Kisho explained as he brought up the information. His eyes carefully perused the code and computer language displayed on the laptop's display.

A couple years ago they had created a special program that would alert them whenever someone searched for, or accessed information about, their little sister, Narina Evangeline Evans. After their mother and father had divorced and separated they had moved over here to Japan with their mom. Unfortunately the woman had gotten involved in drugs, and an abusive relationship had seen to it that their little sister was taken out of the home for her own safety. It wasn't until they were teenagers that they learned Narina had been adopted since no living relatives could be found in Japan. Apparently their mother had failed to tell the officials about their father who was hale and hearty back in the United States at the time.

Now their mother was dead, their poor dad who didn't deserve any of this was who-knows-where, and they were both searching and hoping for some clue that would lead them back to both their little sister _and_ their father. There had been a few sure hits over the past couple years since they had set up the program, but all of them had turned into dead ends. They had even hacked their way into the major adoption agency in Japan and set up a little "spy camera" there. It was that data spike that was giving them a response right now.

Kisho took a slow breath and looked back at his sister, "It was accessed Monday morning. Thing is there's no IP address. It wasn't a computer that looked at this information. The code shows that the adoption records for our little sister were opened, copied, and looked at... but that's it. You need a password just to get to this area of the website, but there's no evidence of that either. In fact the data shows that _no one_ was in this section of the site at the time the records were viewed," he explained. Ren tilted her head slightly and mulled that over.

"So either someone did a _really_ good job of hacking in or we've got a curious AI on our hands. Either way this makes for a very interesting situation. If they wanted to know more about Narina than why would they go to such lengths to hide their presence?" Ren questioned curiously a smile spreading across her face in the process.

Kisho raised his hand and she gave him a high-five.

"Who's interested in our missing sister and why? We may finally be making some progress here," Kisho commented as he set up a trace. It would scour every little piece of code to see if the intruder had left any pieces behind that would lead back to where they were now or where they had gone afterwards. Leaning back in his chair, Kisho put his boots back up on the counter and gestured back to the computer at the other end of the counter. A clear sign that he wanted Ren to get back to work.

Kisho looked at the clock on the wall significantly and Ren growled at him.

"I took my pills already!"

"Just checking. Your crazy enough as it is when your medicated, much less when your off."

"Gee, I feel loved. Is that anyway to treat a schizophrenic woman?"

"I feel no sympathy for you. Get back to work already would you? This program is going to take a couple hours to finish after all."

"Yes, _master_, I live only to do your will."

"If your going to talk behind my back then you could at least wait until I turn around."

* * *

**AN:** Oh, gosh I'm sorry for taking this long you guys! But I hope I made up for it in some way by (finally) putting Tonomari/Kuhn in there. He's been neglected so much in this story hasn't he? Well one of my readers pointed that out to me so here he is in all his glory. But it would seem that he's having some problems with Magus.... interesting development no? (cough cough hint hint nudge nudge)

We've caught up with Bo/Iori so you all know how he is faring... which really isn't all that well...but he's alive and will recover in time (lots and LOTS of time). We get to meet his dad too! I kind of pulled the man's name out of thin air. I was thinking about it and the name Takeru popped into my head. (Note: Takeru is the name of the singer for the Japanese band SuG) So I changed the name up a little and you can see what I ended up with.

As for Niketas Zykov... well the idea for him came when I went to the movies to see 2012 (so AWESOME by the way!). One of the people in the movie was a Russian airplane pilot by the name of Sasha. He ended up being one of my favorite characters in the entire movie. Being a side character in a disaster movie, of course, meant that he was destined to met with a rather sad and unfortunate end.

Sniff... so sad... sniff... !!!!!!!!!

-bursts into tears and runs out of the room-

-finally stops crying and comes back-

Sorry... it was just so sad to see him go. But that is how Niketas came to be in the story. Like him or not Niketas going to be sticking around these parts as well.

Also we've aught back up with Shino and Masato in a way, but I promise there will be more details on that front so don't despair my dear Shino/Ovan shippers! Next up is Sentou and Akira, known more formerly as Kite and BlackRose. I made up the name Sentou because you never actually learn what Kite's name is, so just keep that in mind. Don't want any confusion here.

For those of you wondering what the last part is about, I urge you to look back at the second to last section in Chapter 33 for a quick refresher. If you'd rather not do that, however, than I can tell you that Narina Evangeline Evans is Chigusa's birth name. Don't forget that in this story she's adopted. That should clear most things up for you where the last section of this chapter is concerned. :)

Yes, Ren and Kisho are more than a little... _unique _(translation: strange) but they'll be sticking around for the rest of the story and sequels to come, so take the time to get acquainted would you please? BTW the idea for Kisho comes from Luminor who is the former keyboardist for Cinema Bizarre. You can look up some pictures and video's on YouTube to get a better idea for what I'm talking about here if you are so inclined.

So thank you for reading and please review! Don't forget to check out my forum if you have questions for me because they shall be answered for you!

Until next time everyone!


	39. Kitten or Lion?

Time-line Update: Wednesday, mid-morning, December 4th.

Chapter 39: Kitten or Lion?

* * *

It was all Kuhn could do to keep Magus from turning on the techs still repairing Macha's data. The Avatar had always looked rather kindly upon humans in general, but when it came to anyone even remotely related to CC Corp that was an entirely different matter. Reiko and Takumi were exceptions because they were a special division and mostly autonomous. Rhodesia was okay as well because she was the head honcho of it all and could have all the idiots running CC Corp thrown in jail for the rest of their natural born lives with a single flick of her wrist. Then there was Kuhn as his Epitaph User so naturally he was excluded too.

Anyone and everyone else, though, was treading on dangerous ground when they dared to come anywhere near one of the Avatars. It was true that they had partnered with special players and helped save the network and Lost One's and all that, but they had also nearly _destroyed_ the network back in The World R:1 days. They had put innocent players into coma's without so much as a second thought.

Many people and even Tomonari himself claimed that the Epitaph's were little more than basic A.I.'s back in those days and they had come a long way since then. However, the fact remained that they were not only born from Morganna's DNA, but they were literally Morganna herself... just in pieces so to speak. Not all that different from the way the AIDA fragments now when you thought about it.

Basically, it meant that the Epitaph's may be calm and obedient to their User's _now_, but deep within they had the potential to violently lash out without hesitation _or _remorse.

Kuhn cast another worried glance up at Magus who was slamming his claws down on the digital keyboard before him. If it was the real world the poor thing would have broken apart over an hour ago.

Glancing over to the right, he checked to make sure that Abtrunniger was still nearby. Dendeira and Tarvos were out on a mission together and Skeith and Innis were with their respective Users and therefore busy. So if Magus did snap suddenly then the cobra AIDA would be the one to jump in and come to the rescue.

_But we'll just hope that doesn't happen, _Kuhn thought with a heavy sigh as he looked back up at his Epitaph who was becoming more and more tense by the second. Magus kept clenching and unclenching his hands and looking over his shoulder at the computer technicians. The tension and frustration in the air just kept on building.

Kuhn knew that he couldn't sit here forever. He had work to do offline and at some point he would _have_ to log off, but he was worried about leaving Magus here "unsupervised." A small BING suddenly announced the arrival of a new flash mail. Raising an eyebrow he opened the message and frowned slightly as he read it.

_What are you still doing online?_

_You have work to do here._

_Log off and meet me in _

_Conference Room seven _

_immediately. Bring your_

_latest status report with you._

_- Niketas_

Rolling his eyes, Kuhn reluctantly stood up and brought up the Log Out selection. Hesitating for a moment he looked up at his Avatar one more time before leaving the Outer Dungeon.

* * *

Niketas lounged back in his plush office chair as he flipped through the status reports before him. Dissatisfied with the compiled information he closed the folder and pushed it aside. Things were moving too slowly and the Network Administration Bureau wasn't going to be making any serious steps soon, not after the whole fiasco with Masato Indou. In their attempt to be cautious they were taking things too far in the other direction. Aihane would bring this whole thing crashing down on their heads long before they made any moves to stop him.

_Rhodesia is loved by the citizens of countless countries and the leaders of governments around the world respect and trust her judgment, but both of us are just employees of the NAB. We can't go beyond their rules and restrictions... not without a little "help" that is. It's time the Epitaph Users realized their full potential and took control of the situation,_ Niketas looked up as a light knock sounded. The door opened and Tomonari poked his head inside hesitantly.

"Ah, just the man I wanted to see. Please come in and take a seat," he said calmly. The young man looked decidedly uncomfortable as he walked down the long table and took a seat close to him. The Russian man smirked and nodded to the folder in Tomonari's hand.

"Well, lets see it," he ordered and the young man looked down and paused for a moment before handing over his report. Flipping open the report, Niketas perused the words and pursed his lips sourly.

_Things are getting worse. This is report is from the United States. Apparently numerous military networks all the way up the Pentagon itself have been hacked and information pertaining to weapons, machines, armor, drones, and robot inventories has been stolen. They don't know how much information has been taken, but when you carefully read between the lines it becomes obvious that national security for the United States has been severely compromised along with that of numerous other countries,_ Niketas looked over at the second page and his mood worsened even more.

_Several unconnected terrorist groups in the Middle East have now banded together and are leaving chaos and destruction in their wake. I'd bet every penny in my savings account that Aihane is pulling the strings and sending them all the weapons and information they want in exchange for their help and loyalty. Money is a powerful motivator after all, _he continued to scan the pages, but the report only continued to dole out bad news.

Glancing up at Tomonari, he saw that the young man wasn't paying attention whatsoever and instead kept glancing back over towards the door. Rolling his eyes, Niketas ignored his fidgeting and went back to the compiled status report in front of him.

_Businesses and big banks in England have confirmed with CNN that billions of euro's have been siphoned from their customers. The authorities are trying to set up a trace and find the IP address for the computer that did this, but nothing has shown up so far. Aihane is using Fidchell to forecast a plan of intrusion and then Corbenik to go in and get everything done. When he's done, Gorre shows up and puts in place one of their programs or they just send a worm in to destroy everything beyond recovery, _Niketas sighed heavily and closed the folder. He slapped it down on the table loud enough to startle Tomonari who jumped and turned back to him, embarrassed that he had been caught daydreaming.

"Um.. yeah? Is that report okay? There's so much information floating around, but Abtrunniger and Magus felt that these were the biggest news stories. They're most likely connected as well," Tomonari said nervously. The stare Niketas was giving him was apparently very unnerving. The man's lips pulled down slightly in response.

"The report is just fine... the problem here is _you._ I assume that you're distracted because of Magus current attitude?" Niketas said blandly. Tomonari narrowed his eyes slightly at the man's tone of voice and nodded slightly.

"Having Gorre taken away really shook him up and now this whole mess with Macha hasn't helped any. I know that Magus would usually never hurt anybody, but... right now I'm not too sure about that. He might do just about anything," Tomonari said uneasily. Niketas had been looking back down at the papers in front of him, but now he jerked his head up and stared at his companion in disbelief.

"You know that 'Magus would never hurt anybody'? You honestly did not just tell me that. He is an extremely powerful A.I. system and is not to be underestimated in any way. Magus is extraordinarily dangerous and as his chosen Epitaph User _you_, Tomonari, have a responsibility to keep him under control," he said in disgust. Tomonari bristled and slammed his fists down on the table.

"Magus is easily the most amiable Avatar out of all of them! How can you say that! There's no way he would... would kill somebody," Tomonari said strongly. "Look at how much he respects Rhodesia and all of the other Epitaph Users! I mean he's my best friend!" he added angrily. It was obvious that he didn't appreciate Niketas' view of his Avatar. Niketas for his part rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

Shaking his head slowly he added, "That A.I. was originally created by Morganna and as I remember _she _didn't exactly have a problem hurting players of The World now did she? Being more intelligent does not necessarily make one averse to violence. The past couple centuries of mankind's history is proof enough of that," he said in warning.

"Just because Magus hasn't hurt anyone yet that doesn't mean he won't now or in the future. He hasn't killed anyone because he simply hasn't _needed_ to or had the _opportunity_ to. As for respect... the Avatar's obey and are close to a _very_ small amount of people when you look at the overall picture. They treat Rhodesia like a Queen, but won't even give me the time of day. Abtrunniger and Dendeira are more tolerant of me, but not by much," Niketas informed with a wry grin.

"The Third Phase was created by Morganna to fight. He was born to be a weapon and nothing more. The fact that all of the Epitaph's are more intelligent and have developed far more advanced skills means absolutely nothing. All of them would have been destroyed long ago if CC Corp had their way. The Network Administration Bureau may be in control now, but if you want your... your 'best friend' to remain as such then your going to have to wake up and face the truth. Get him under control and you'll both be better off for it," Niketas ordered him.

Tomonari flushed with anger and stood straight up out of his chair.

"You're acting like the Avatar's are our servants or something! We're not like Aihane! We respect them and give them the attention they deserve!" he blurted out.

Sighing heavily, Niketas rubbed his temple, "Did I at any time say that? Or claim they were being disrespected?" he asked and the question caught Tomonari off guard for a moment. "I never said anything to that effect. I'm just reminding you of the fact that Magus and all of the other Epitaph's _chose_ specific people to wield their power and help them gather information about human emotions. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. You gain their power and protection and they receive priceless information that would be impractical to obtain by other means," Niketas continued.

"Besides the dictionary definition of _servant_ is 'a person employed by another' or 'a person in service of another'. That is an apt description of your relationship with Magus. Don't people search out businesses and companies to work for? And if they feel they are being mistreated then they quit. Even Magus wouldn't have hesitated to leave if he felt he was being disrespected or enslaved the way Aihane has done with the AIDA Fragments. You haven't forced them to obey you the way Aihane has," Niketas calmly fired back.

"Take my personal bodyguard for example. I chose him because we were childhood friends back in my native Russia. To this day I trust the man more than I do my own mother. However..." he paused significantly and stared Tomonari down, "...that does not change the fact that _he_ serves _me_ just as your Avatar serves you. Magus specifically selected you as the person he would serve and now you are indeed friends—I am not denying that at all—but if you want to bring out his full potential than you have to step up and start acting appropriately. Otherwise, Magus is going to hurt someone and the blame for that will fall upon your shoulders. It is always the boss who gets blamed for the slack performance of their employees after all," Niketas offered before turning his chair around in dismissal.

"You're wrong..." Tomonari whispered.

There was a moment of silence before his footsteps faded and the door opened and slammed closed harshly.

Niketas closed his eyes for a moment before flicking an eye open.

"Screen on."

The black screen on the wall behind the conference table flicked on to show Rhodesia sitting there quietly. She had been listening to the entire conversation. Her eyes were dark and her expression drawn. He had never seen her so... defeated before. It was clear from her puffy eyes that she had been crying... a lot. Niketas had noticed right away that her interest in Kaoru went deeper than just friendship, but he trusted her not to let that compromise her work. Still she had taken this incident _very_ hard.

"Well... what do y_ou _think?" Niketas questioned. Avoiding the subject of Kaoru completely. Rhodesia was quiet for a moment as she stared down at her hands. Finally she shook her head and looked up at him.

"Think I do that Epitaph User's must accept the truth. Not just look personal feelings at and ignore reality. Avatar's under their control are and must realize that they have to," Rhodesia stated simply.

Niketas nodded, "We are in agreement then."

* * *

Magus hissed angrily and tightened his claws. The woman in his grip screamed and tried again to log out, but he overrode the command to prevent her from leaving. These people... these worthless CC Corp maggots had no place here in _their _Outer Dungeon. All of the other tech's had retreated and were backed against the far wall. Macha's inert, data chewed body was lying there undisturbed as she should be.

Leaning forward he narrowed his eyes as the unfortunate woman fought to get away. He had finally had enough when one of the technicians actually had the audacity to suggest that he _leave_ so they could concentrate on their work.

"Leave? Leave! This Outer Dungeon belongs to us! Not a bunch of squirming, belly crawling worms like you. We Avatars and our Users do all the work and CC Corp rushes in to take the credit. You've captured us, altered our data, messed around with our internal systems, tried to delete us, and you've attempted to use your authority to control Kuhn and the others. I've had more than enough of you so called experts and your meddling. We defeated Tri-Edge without you and we're more than capable of killing Aihane without you," Magus snarled the words as the female shied as far away from him as possible.

"_We're_ the ones in control here and its past time you learned your place..."

Clasping his claws together, energy began to form and gather around his hands as he prepared to use Data Drain. He would teach these pitiful humans that the power of an Epitaph was _never_ to be taken for granted.

* * *

Kuhn bolted through the streets of Mac Anu in full blown panic. He had tried to warp into the Outer Dungeon as usual, but his access had been denied. He could feel the anger and rage from Magus boiling up within him and he knew that his Avatar had finally reached his tipping point.

Pelting around the corner he jumped down the steps and into the back alley. Sliding to a stop Kuhn used his area hacking skills to open the hidden entrance to the Outer Dungeon the Avatar's had set themselves up in. He had to do it several times before it worked and the option to warp into the area popped up. Immediately he transferred in and was greeted by Abtrunniger. The AIDA lowered his head and promptly shoved him down towards the hallway behind his large body.

"About time! Magus has locked down the area making it inaccessible to humans. It will keep out anyone who tries to hack their way in the way you did. Thankfully, I'm here to override the lock-down and let you in. Now get in there and stop him before he kills someone!" Abtrunniger commanded pushing him even harder, not that Kuhn needed any encouragement.

"Stop him? But... I mean... can't _you _do something?" Kuhn responded hesitantly even as he regained his footing. The cobra AIDA snorted and stared at him, "_You're_ his User. I can use force to keep him from hurting someone, but the responsibility ultimately falls upon your shoulders—Magus chose you as his wielder after all," he lightly chastised.

Kuhn stumbled and tripped at those words. That was far too similar to what Niketas has said earlier, but there was no time to think about the implications. Shaking his head he rushed down to the main area.

When he arrived he inhaled sharply in surprise. Magus had grabbed one of the CC Corp computer technicians was holding her tightly in his sharp claws. The energy gathering around his arms was a tell tale sign that he was getting ready to use Data Drain.

_But if he uses it on an ordinary human..._ Kuhn shook his head in disbelief._ Even during the beginning when we first started fighting AIDA we knew that using Data Drain would put someone in a coma. The Avatar's have come so far now that their attacks have drastically increased. Their power is off the charts! Magus will kill her! _He couldn't believe what he was seeing here. How could his mild-mannered Epitaph suddenly snap like this?

A split second later he remembered what Niketas had said just a few minutes earlier. Namely that Magus hadn't killed anyone yet because he simply hasn't needed or had the opportunity to. Kuhn felt a cold shiver slide up his spine as he accepted the truth of those Epitaph's had _always_ been keep isolated as a safety precaution. No one except the chosen Epitaph User was allowed to engage an Avatar directly whether it be physically or by means of a conversation. When a technician had to work on them it was only in an _extremely_ controlled environment with countless security systems in place that were designed keep the Epitaph under control should they attack someone.

Pi had told him all of this before and at first Kuhn had taken this information to heart and even had to teach Haseo this lesson in the arena by forcing him to lose control of Skeith. Lately, however, Magus had been so obedient, civil, and friendly that he hadn't thought much of it despite the fact that all of the same safeguards were still in place.

_But even the limited direct interaction the Avatar's have had with people before has been cut back to almost nothing. CC Corp knows how much the Epitaph's hate them so they've cut down on how often they engage the Avatar's to avoid antagonizing them. They no longer stay within the boundaries of The World and can roam freely around the network. If they get angry they could do immeasurable damage to the real world just like before during the first version of the game. The only ones controlling them are us... the only reason Magus and the others haven't cut all ties with CC Corp is because they're here listening to us. We're the only ones keeping them in line and if CC Corp leaves us alone and keeps us happy then the chances of one of the Epitaph's retaliating against them are greatly reduced, _Kuhn realized with a cold stab of fear as Magus power reached its climax.

He had to do something.

"Magus stop!"

The data faded from around his hands and slowly the Epitaph looked over at him, but he didn't release the woman in his hands. Breathing heavily, Kuhn took another step forward.

"What are you doing? This isn't like you!" he exclaimed as Abtrunniger transferred all of the other technician's away from the Outer Dungeon. He could see Magus narrow his eyes and his claws tightened. Right away her felt a sharp pang of worry flash through him.

Kuhn could tell that his presence both surprised and worried Magus, but not for the reason's he wanted. The Third Phase didn't like the fact that he had made his User upset, but he wasn't _at all _ashamed of what he was currently doing to the poor woman he was holding.

Taking a deep breath, Kuhn shook his head, "This has gone far enough! Put her down right now!" He tried to say it firmly, but it came out as a weak entreaty instead. Disgust washed over him as Magus turned back to stare at the lady he was holding. She was past the point of panic and was desperately pleading to be let go.

"Why should I? CC Corp hasn't done anything for us. They've lied to people, cheated the system, hidden the truth, tried to destroy Aura, and committed countless other sins against The World and the real world. It's well past time that someone put them in their place and I'll start with her," Magus retorted unwaveringly. Kuhn despaired at this answer and fought to come up with a way to reason with his Avatar.

"That's... what does she have to do with anything? What has she done wrong?" he questioned in an attempt to distract his Avatar.

Magus visibly bristled and he waved his hand around angrily, "She's one of the people who caused all of this! I've looked up the data! At the start of the R.A. Plan there were between thirty and forty people all together who were employed by CC Corp. A quarter of them left within two years. They all had to sign strict nondisclosure agreements, but the fact remains that they _did_ leave because it was the right thing to do. I know the names of everyone who stayed, everyone who messed with our data, hid AIDA from the world, and tried to put the blame on Masato," he snarled bitterly.

"And guess who else's name is on the list? Every technician, engineer, and hacker currently working above clearance class 7 is fully away of all the things CC Corp has done with regards to G.U. and all of the Epitaphs. The people following orders are just as guilty as the ones running the whole show," Magus added furiously. His anger was boiling hot and getting hotter by the second. Kuhn gritted his teeth as he felt his friend's raging emotions.

"That's not your decision to make here! Doing this isn't going to solve anything!" he reasoned, but the Avatar wasn't in the mood to be reasoned with.

"It will solve plenty! Justice will finally be served and the world will have one less parasite crawling around on it! They've far too much as it is and I'm not going to just stand around and let them corrupt Macha as well!" Magus retorted just as strongly.

_This isn't working and he's not listening to anything I tell him!_ Kuhn didn't know what else to do. His moment of hesitation was one second too long, though. Magus turned back to his victim as he began forming Data Drain for the last and final time. He wasn't going to be dissuaded or interrupted like before.

Kuhn exhaled sharply and his mind went blank. What did he do? What was he supposed to say?

Magus drew one arm back as the Data Drain wheel formed around his palm. The A.I. was getting ready to fire when something finally popped into his head; he blurted it out in the strongest most commanding voice he could.

"Magus stop this right now! That's an order!"

The Third Phase jerked back and the Data Sphere shot off over the woman's head and into the far wall where it burst apart harmlessly before turning to face his User. Surprise was etched all over Magus white mask and he slowly lowered his clawed hands. For over a minute he just stood there staring down at Kuhn. After another second he glanced back to the woman clutched in his hands. She was shaking violently and by the sound of her voice she was obviously crying.

Slowly, Magus bent down and carefully placed the technician back down on the floor of the Outer Dungeon. She climbed to her feet and scrambled down the corridor. Running up to the Warp Platform she left the area behind. He stared down at where she had been for another couple moments before turning back to Kuhn. Magus head was bowed and his arms limp by his sides. His entire attitude had changed dramatically.

Kuhn closed his eyes for a moment, but felt nothing from Magus except a quiet, stunned, submission. Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed heavily and looked away from his friend.

"I... Kuhn, I'm sorry... I was just..." Magus fumbled around and tried to explain himself, but couldn't find the words.

"That's enough..." Kuhn whispered, "Go back to my personal computer system and stay there until I, Rhodesia, or Niketas calls for you," he ordered tightly. Head down, Magus slowly nodded and used a data tear to leave the area.

He suddenly felt very weak and drained from this current experience. The frustration he felt was overwhelming.

_He was right... Niketas was right... about all of it,_ Kuhn buried his head in his hands and gripped his hair tightly. As galling as it was for him to admit, the Russian man had spoken the truth earlier. Every single word of it was true and this experience only proved it.

* * *

Rhodesia closed the laptop and pulled the stick out of the USB port. It was a special encoding device that would keep any information from being intercepted and stolen. She had finished listening in on the meeting between Niketas and Tomonari. It was a matter that needed attention, but right now... right now her mind was only on one thing and that was Kaoru.

Sighing heavily she turned and looked at the hospital bed next to her. She had ridden in the ambulance with him and stayed by his side when he woke up and started thrashing around deliriously in the emergency room. Less than an hour later Kaoru had slipped into a coma and had yet to wake up. There was no way of knowing when, or if, that would happen either.

Taking a deep breath, Rhodesia closed her eyes as tears burned behind her eyelids. What if Kaoru didn't make it through this? What if they lost him? What if _she_ lost him? It wasn't a scenario she wanted to imagine and right away she pushed those thoughts aside.

Rhodesia had tried her best to keep things "professional" and had never actually _told_ Kaoru about her interest in him, but he was easily intelligent enough to figure it out on his own. How he felt about the matter was an entirely different story, but she got the distinct feeling that keeping her in the dark over the matter amused him greatly.

_You're worth over a billion dollars, you have men of all types and prominence throwing themselves at you... yet you choose the reclusive, androgynous hikikomori to fall in love with. Very intelligent decision, _Rhodesia thought sourly as she rubbed her forehead. Even Niketas had tried to get her to go on a date with him, but there was just something about Kaoru that kept her from accepting his, or anyone else's, offers.

_I can't let this distract me. Kaoru was attacked and Macha's data completely blown apart by that strange, patchwork AIDA that Aihane controls. We have to find out what it can do and what Aihane is going after next. The only Avatar's we have left are Macha, Tarvos, Skeith, Innis, and Magus. Abtrunniger and Dendeira are also on our side, but their abilities are different from that of the Epitaph's. We need the power of the Avatar's to stop Aihane and he knows it. Even if more AIDA join us we still need the Avatar's because they are the only ones who can use Data Drain, _Rhodesia pursed her lips stared down at Kaoru's hand. Slowly she reached over and grasped it tightly.

Kaoru had already been through so much with his own personal problems and then with Mia. Now this happened? Life really wasn't fair.

Rhodesia's hand tightened around Kaoru's. She knew that she had to get back to work with G.U. but she needed time to compose herself and her emotions first. Kaoru wasn't just some employee, he was her best friend and the one person she could confide in. This line of work brought a lot of stress and responsibility along with it and Kaoru had always been the one person she could turn to when she was upset or stressed out. He had always listened to what she had to say and offered his thoughts and advice.

Even now there were a lot of things she had told Kaoru and no one else... not even Niketas who technically was the _only_ person with the qualifications and authority to know about such things.

_Just another hour or so... then I'll head back_, Rhodesia promised herself just like she had the previous three times.

* * *

Ren and Kisho had taken the day off and were now at home catching up on some other chores that needed to be done.

Ren grinned and put another red X on the calender. Capping the sharpie in her hand she whirled around and smirked at her twin who was currently raiding the fridge and freezer in search of the right ingredients to make a smoothie.

"Six months! I have officially gone six months without a relapse, hallucination, delusion, or a 'visit' to the psychiatry ward of the hospital," she proudly informed him. Kisho pulled a carton of fruit juice out of the fridge and set it on the counter next to a bag of frozen fruit. He stared at her for a moment and gave her a thin smile. For a moment it looked as if he would throw out his usual sarcastic reply, but evidently he changed his mind at the last second.

"Congratulations. We'll go to a yakiniku restaurant tonight to celebrate your success. It looks like that newly approved gene therapy and pill regimen really is as ground breaking and effective as they said it would be," Kisho offered kindly as he dropped some of the fruit into a blender. "So I guess should enjoy the quiet times while they last. Only a matter of time before you crack again and start begging me to take you to the hospital so the 'Tengu' won't get you," he added with a rather malicious smile, referring to one of the recurring delusions that plagued Ren whenever her schizophrenia symptoms began to act up.

Kisho poured some of the juice in and putting the top on the blender. He flipped the power on deliberately so the roar would drown out her retort. However, the evil, spiteful glare that Ren shot at her brother spoke far louder than any words she could have come up with.

Thus was the nature of their relationship.

Kisho always teased her and made sarcastic comments about her ongoing battle with the brain disorder known as schizophrenia, but he had always been there for his twin sister and helped her through countless relapses and mental breakdowns over the years. He was the one person Ren trusted and she was fully reassured by the fact that, despite their constant little 'arguments', he would _never_ abandon her the way their mother had. Kisho was kind, gentle, and very understanding when it cam to dealing with her and her disease, but at the same time he _didn't_ make allowances for her just because she was sick. At no time did he allow her to give up or let her use her illness as an excuse to give up on herself or on life.

Kisho poured the smoothie mixture into a cup. He smiled sweetly and handed it to her as a peace offering. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Ren stared at the proffered gift for a moment before accepting it and letting the jab slide. He really did make the _best_ smoothies after all—so how could she possibly say no?

Closing her eyes at the wonderful taste, Ren leaned back against the cupboards and put one hand down on the counter. A couple of long seconds passed before she noticed that Kisho was staring at her. Or to be more specific he was looking down at her hand.

"What are you giving me that look for?" she demanded testily.

Kisho nodded slightly, "I didn't know this whole thing about Narina was bothering you that much," he said softly.

Following his gaze, Ren looked down and realized that her hands were trembling. She pursed her lips and brought her hand back up to her cup, but that started to shake so violently she just about spilled her smoothie completely. Disgusted she slammed it down on the counter.

Many anti-psychotics included severe neurological side effects that could ended up being permanent, but five years ago a new gene therapy for schizophrenia had been approved and had been very successful. However, Ren was still on new generation anti-anxiety medication and mood stabilizers. The side effects for these were relatively mild, but they did show up when she got stressed out... which was all too often. Insomnia, lack of appetite, nausea, and shaking or twitching were included. She was on two other low dose medications as well. One helped with her insomnia while the other helped take care of her appetite loss and nausea.

The shaking and insomnia were the most pronounced of all the side effects and always showed up first when she was upset about something. This time it happened to be over their little sister Narina.

Taking a deep breath, Ren crossed her arms defensively.

"We're the best hackers around! Certified by the Network Administration Bureau and easily among the top five best hackers in all of Japan! We should have found her by now," Ren said angrily, "I just don't want this to turn into a another dead end like all of the previous hits. That worthless mother of ours ruined her life, our life, and dad's life. We've been separated from our little sister long enough and it's past time we found out where she is," she sighed and grabbed her cup again, keeping her hands still long enough to take a sip from it.

Kisho nodded slowly at that and straightened up. He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. He squeezed her a small squeeze and motioned towards the living room.

He flipped a hand through the red streaks in his hair as he spoke,"I got another hit last night while you were sleeping. Our record pilfering intruder is looking more and more like an advanced A.I. It has stopped moving and has holed itself up in that online game The World. Thing is this area isn't _technically_ connected to the rest of the game or any other system in anyway. It's a hole in the system that someone, or rather a whole lost of someone's are still currently using. So why don't we go drop a line and see if it takes the bait?"

Brightening at that, Ren smirked and glanced at her twin's new hairdo.

"Mmm, hmm. Better let me do the talking if it does decide to speak to us. No need to frighten it off before we get any answers."

"Oh, really? Well I'm sure that shade of ultraviolet on _your _head will be received sooo much better now won't it?"

"At least I don't accentuate it with... oh, geez your actually wearing red eyeshadow aren't you?"

"Yes, I am thank you very much and it's better than what you slum around in. It looks like you just got... or fell... out of bed."

"Psh, see if I ever make _you_ dinner again!"

"Dear me, what _will_ I do without that poison you call food?"

"Hey! Don't think I didn't hear that!"

* * *

**AN:** Hey there! Once again I apologize for taking forever to update, but I made sure to pack plenty of action into this chapter for all of you to enjoy!

Next time I promise I'll put in some fluff between Ryou and Chigusa, and things get more interesting when Innis decides to take the initiative and contact Ren and Kisho.

So tell me what you think of the chapter! I'm sure you'll have plenty to discuss! And the forum is always open if you want to ask questions or talk about the latest developments in Shattered Mirror.

Thanks for reading and please review!


	40. Follow Me

Time-line Update: Wednesday, mid-day, December 4th.

Chapter 40: Follow Me

* * *

Chigusa stared out of the window and watched the birds flitting from tree to tree in the garden built into the third floor. They had built an extra wing and added plants and trees to help brighten the mood and stimulate patient recovery. A young couple were already on the ground watching as their little boy and girl sister tossed out bird seed. The parents were standing off to the side watching over their children. It was such a peaceful scene and far different from what was going on at street level. Swarms of reporters were still clamoring to get in and obtain interviews with her and Ryou, but hospital security stayed firm and kept them from getting anywhere near the two teenagers.

She was so focused on what was going on outside that she didn't didn't even hear the door open. It was a light footstep that alerted her to the fact that someone had entered the room. Before she could react a strong pair of arms slid around Chigusa's waist and pulled her back.

"Enjoying the view?" Ryou murmured in her ear.

Chigusa smiled and relaxed into his grasp. Ryou accepted the invitation and tightened his arms around her waist. He buried his nose in her hair and took a deep breath before letting out a small sigh. She couldn't help but smile at that show of affection and she leaned back against him as she continued staring out the window.

After her near death experience up on the roof yesterday he had refused to let her out of his sight. The doctors had finally been forced to move Ryou to a hospital room right across from her's—not that he had actually _been_ in it these past hours. Apparently, Ryou took those words he said up on the roof seriously and was certainly trying to be a better boyfriend to her. He had been at her side ever since and had apparently resolved never to let her out of his sight that she was _complaining_ about his sudden reassurances and shows of affection towards her.

A satisfied smile graced her lips and Chigusa tilted her head back slightly to look at her boyfriend, "I've seen that couple around here before coming from the cancer wing. His wife and kids come to visit every day and they feed the birds together," she explained in a soft voice. Ryou hummed and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"It's nice to see peaceful moments like this after everything we've been through," he said in response, "It's good to know that people really do care about one another and are willing to stick together no matter what problems may come up," he added pensively. Ryou's tone of voice caught her attention and Chigusa turned around so she could look him in the eye.

Ryou returned her gaze with a steady stare of his own. His expression softened and her lifted a hand to stroke her cheek gently.

"Chigusa... I just want you to know that I really am serious about this... about us and our relationship. No matter what happens from here on out I want you to know that..." Ryou paused and his face flushed a prominent red and he pulled his hand back and rubbed his neck uneasily, "...that... that I... I lo" he was promptly interrupted by a knock on the door behind them.

The door opened and a woman poked her head in.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'm interrupting something aren't I?" she said in a deeply apologetic tone. The scowl on Ryou's face eased slightly and he gave a sigh. Rather then answer he deflected the question with a comment of his own.

"This is my mother, Kitade. Mom, this is my girlfriend Chigusa," Ryou explained as the woman struggled to get through the door. She was clearly struggling with something and had to kick the door open with her foot. When she stepped in the room Chigusa saw that Kitade had a kitten in her arms.

"Shira?" Ryou sounded surprised. The feline had a harness and leash on and seemed to be very unhappy at the moment. It took one look at him and started meowing and struggling furiously. Kitade grunted and put the kitten down on the ground. It was white with light orange stripes and the minute her paws touched the linoleum she streaked right over and started twining and rubbing around his legs.

Kitade smiled slightly and relaxed. "Your father told me to 'get that little hellion' out of our house. She's been whining, meowing, and crying all night long since we picked her up from your apartment. He was about ready to toss Shira _back _out on the street so she could fend for herself," she said teasingly. Ryou rolled his eyes and picked the feline up. He glanced over at Chigusa with a wry grin.

"This is my pet. I found her in a back alley and nursed her back to health, but she's... not too keen on other people," Ryou explained as Shira continued to purr loudly and rub her head under his neck. Chigusa couldn't help but smile at that. She never would have pegged her boyfriend as being an animal person. She would call him sweet for helping out the poor feline, but being the guy he was and all he might not appreciate that kind of compliment.

Kitade walked up to them and Chigusa gave a light bow.

"It's nice to have the chance to meet ma'am," she said in her most respectful tone. Kitade returned the gesture and then appraised her with a smile. Her eyes were kind and she didn't seem at all bothered by the idea of her son having a girlfriend.

"Mmmm, so you're the young lady that's been keeping my stubborn, obstinate little boy in such a good mood lately. Being the secretive person that he is, Ryou hasn't exactly _said_ much about you, but as his mother I can see the change in his attitude and I must say I greatly approve," Kitade responded casting a sly look over at Ryou who flushed and stiffened at her comments.

"Mom!"

"Oh, settle down. You know I'm just teasing," Kitade replied and motioned for them to sit down. Ryou unhooked Shira's leash and put her down on the bed before dropping it on a small table nearby. He then held an arm out for support. Chigusa blinked in surprise and smiled gratefully as she took his arm.

"Thanks. Most of my other injuries have healed, but my knee still has a little ways to go," she explained as Ryou helped her over to the bed so she could sit down. He even adjusted the pillows and put the bed up so that she would be more comfortable before leaning back. Kitade took all of this in with a raised eyebrow and a tiny smile on her lips.

"How are you doing? If you don't mind telling me that is. I know all about Ryou because he's my son., but I've been worried about how you've been faring," Kitade said with genuine sympathy as Ryou grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to the hospital bed. Shira popped up into his lap and promptly nudged his hand, demanding a cuddle. Ryou pet her distractedly as he threw his girlfriend a look that said he would like to know the answer to that as well.

Chigusa thought for a moment, "Well, my shoulder is doing fine now and I had a few broken fingers that have set. They're a little stiff, but don't hurt anymore. I had a broken wrist, but Dr. Evans said that we'll be able to take the cast off later today. My ankle was swollen but that healed right up," she offered and then hesitated as she fingered her face uncomfortably. Dr. Ian Evans had explained that her bruises would fade, but the deep slash marks on her back would leave scars... horrible scars. She hadn't worked up the courage to tell Ryou yet.

He flashed her a curious glance when she left out how her back was feeling, but she shook her head slightly.

"We can talk more about me later," Chigusa said with a fake smile as she raised her eyes to meet him. Ryou pursed his lips and nodded to show he understood. Kitade seemed to know that something had been exchanged between them, but she didn't bring it up.

"Mind if I come in?"

Everyone turned and Chigusa saw an older man standing there. She assumed that he was Ryou's father. Stepping inside the room the man closed the door behind him and gave a slight nod of his head in greeting.

"Um, this is my father Misano. Dad this is my girlfriend Chigusa," Ryou introduced as the man came over and stood next to the bed. There wasn't another chair for him to sit in, but she got the feeling that he wouldn't have taken it even if there was one. Plus the look on the man's face bordered on disgust and she got the distinct impression that he didn't care for her _at all_.

Uncomfortable under the stare he was giving her, Chigusa looked down and bit her lower lip nervously.

"Hello sir," she whispered hesitantly. Misano's look darkened further and Chigusa's body immediately tensed nervously. Seeing how uneasy she was becoming, Ryou reached over and took her hand in his before lifting his head and staring right back at his father defiantly. That action would not go unnoticed and Misano narrowed his eyes and his lips thinned as he sniffed at that.

Chigusa blinked in surprise and looked back and forth between the two. Even Kitade switched her gaze back and forth between her family members waiting to see what would happen. Misano may not have "approved" of her, but he evidently wasn't going to say anything impolite... not to her face at least.

Instead just he stood there stiffly as he addressed them.

"That woman Rhodesia told us some of what's going on and a man from the NAB by the name of Niketas Zykov wants us to meet with some other families who are in... similar situations. He wants us to meet these artificial intelligence systems you and the others control. He said that it would be best if we met... Skeith... personally," Misano explained and Kitade nodded in agreement.

"Yes, she told us about Skeith and when you woke up from your coma..." she paused and swallowed hard as she clenched her hands, "...when you first woke up he... it... that thing was in control of your body." Shaking her head Kitade looked to her son for an answer. However, Ryou dodged her glance and stared down at the bed sheets in front of him.

"I think it would be best if you met _him_ in person. Things will be relatively easier to explain after you've seen them for yourselves," he offered to his parents, clearly emphasizing that Skeith was a person and not a _thing_. Both of them frowned with clear dissatisfaction, but Ryou held up his hand to stop any more comments.

"It's best just to leave it at that. Trust me, a lot of things will make more sense once you've met Skeith personally," Ryou said firmly. Sliding his gaze over to Chigusa, Misano stared at her as if she might be swaying his son's opinion.

Turning on his heel the man headed back towards the door.

"Very well, I have business to attend to and must speak to your doctor. I'll be back later on to speak with you," Misano said stiffly before walking out of the room and slamming the door.

* * *

Innis was being followed. She realized it very soon after the fight and encounter with Xen. It was a tracing program that spied on her from a distance and then reported back to its creator. Naturally she had grabbed it and backtracked to find the IP address it had come from. She ended up with a computer in Akihabara, but couldn't get any more detail then that. It wasn't possible to find the specific computer or the name of the person using it, but after showing it to Pi, the woman said that it was clearly the work of a hacker. She told Innis to destroy the trace and watch her steps carefully, but the Epitaph didn't exactly follow through on that.

It was true that it could be Aihane tracking them, but if he managed to find her hidden area and send Xen in to attack both her and Haseo then he would have no problem finding them again. He wouldn't need something as basic as a trace, no matter how unique this particular one seemed to be. Also Innis had gone back through the data trace's trail and discovered that it had been placed inside the government health system containing Chigusa's adoption records.

_Aihane couldn't care less about something like that and even if he knows, he wouldn't be able to use that against us making the whole thing worthless to him. It must be someone else... but who exactly? What kind of person would be interested in Chigusa's adoptions records? Or more specifically anyone who has the authority to look at them? I don't know anything about the health system, but the way they've sealed up these files I'm guessing an extremely small list of people are qualified to look at them. So whoever these people are that are tracking me.... they're looking for these few people. For what purpose though? _Innis closed her eyes as she thought about the matter.

Opening her eyes, Innis shook her head and floated through the corridors of the Outer Dungeon. There was no way to find this apparently new hacker without devoting more of her time to the matter. With everything going on that wasn't something she really wanted do either. Aihane could attack again at any moment and Innis wanted to be ready when that happened, not off on the other side of the Silicone Abyss trying to hunt down phantoms.

"Innis! Get over here!"

That voice belonged to Skeith and he sounded irritated as usual rather then concerned. Rolling her eyes Innis hurried to the end of the hallway and turned the corner. There was a data tear and she could clearly see her friend floating there just outside of the Outer Dungeon. Innis crossed over and Skeith lifted his arm and pointed to a glowing orb just out of reach. It was buzzing and dipping up and down and back and forth in time to some cheery little tune that it was playing. It certainly _seemed _harmless.

"Dendeira said the setup looked vaguely similar to a game some people play. Called it a 'treasure hunt' or 'item hunt' or something. Apparently you're supposed to use clues to find the location of certain objects. I spoke to Tarvos and she said that it may have something to do with that trace you found... not that you bothered to tell _me_ about that," Skeith sounded irritated and maybe even a little hurt by that fact.

Innis tilted her head in surprise, but he didn't notice her look and instead tried to grab the little ball, but it darted out of range still humming with its preprogrammed music.

"Kuhn is who-knows-where, Tarvos can't be bothered with such 'trifles', Macha is still unconscious of course, while Abtrunniger and Dendeira have orders from Niketas to stay here and man the fort. I keep trying but it won't respond to any commands I throw at it," Skeith grumbled angrily as he glared at the annoying little thing. Innis lifted a hand and as expected it darted out of touching distance.

She watched it swing back and forth calmly.

"Someone evidently wants me to follow the bait, but I don't really have time for all of that," she said as the little orb swung closer to them for a brief second. Darting her hand out Innis snatched it out of the air and used her hacking skills to back trace the IP address it had come from.

Skeith flashed her an "I could have done that" look, while the glowing orb started screaming and protesting.

"Not allowed! Not allowed! Let me go! Let me go!" it demanded.

Innis ignored the preprogrammed piece of code and continued to do her work. Closing her eyes she followed the trail all the way back.. to an online cafe? Her eyes popped open and she hummed in surprise.

"Looks like this came from an online hangout. Like one of those internet cafe's scattered around everywhere. Only... online," Innis stated with slight confusion. Waving his arm, Skeith motioned her to go ahead of him.

"Well let's go then. Who's to say they aren't still there waiting for us to come and visit them?" he offered as Innis absorbed all of the data from the sphere clutched in her hand. Nodding in agreement she waited until all of the code had been absorbed into her systems before summoning one of her opaque swords and slicing a tear open in front of them.

"Us?" Innis questioned curiously. Skeith narrowed his eyes slightly. She could see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to figure out the real intent behind her blithe comment.

"I'm certainly not going to let you go running off by yourself. Especially after what happened earlier with Xen," Skeith informed in a cautious tone.

"You sure it's not just because you're worried about me?" Innis questioned with great amusement. She had the immense pleasure of seeing him stiffen suddenly and bluster around for something to say in retaliation.

Turning around she jumped through the data tear leaving Skeith in her dust.

* * *

Kisho calmly perused the people lingering around the hangout. This was the online internet cafe known as Pariah's Gate and it was open only to legal hackers certified by the Network Administration Bureau. They could come here for advice, information, to share pieces of code, or just to hang out with those fellow few who truly understood their line of work, i.e. that they actually _helped _the system instead of working to undermine it. It was an oasis of safety and information centered in a scorching desert where the NAB ruled with an iron fist. Those hackers who chose to flaunt their certification system now ended up with serious prison time rather then the outstanding fines they once would have had leveled at them.

Of course since this was set up by the NAB they were required to use avatars crafted from personal photographs. So the image you saw was the real person and not a carefully crafted video game avatar or something else to that effect.

_Ren and I don't have to worry about that thankfully enough, but there's another reason why the NAB set this place up,_ Kisho considered as a waitress came up to ask if they wanted anything to eat or drink. She was fidgeting nervously and had the tight focused look of someone trying incredibly hard not to mess up.

The thing about Pariah's Gate was that this server was operated, maintained, run, and staffed entirely by A.I.'s. All of them were new to the business of working with human beings and this was a kind of classroom for them so they could learn how to interact, communicate, and work with humans.

Kisho chose an item off the menu and the waitress smiled broadly and nodded to show she had it down.

"So where will you be going after this... Hana?" he asked, pausing for a moment to read her name tag.

The waitress A.I. blinked in surprise when he addressed her. She hesitated for a moment, but Ren leaned forward with her chin in her hands and gave her warm smile.

"It's okay. I know there are some pretty tough restrictions on human, A.I. interaction, but this area was set up by the NAB. That means A.I.'s like yourself are allowed to talk freely with humans here. That's the main purpose of this cafe after all. You don't have to be afraid of us," Ren explained to the nervous young "girl."

Nodding slowly she gave them a shy smile, "The Network Administration Bureau may seem bad, but they really do just want to ease tensions between us and... normal people. Even if their methods are a little heavy handed. They found me and offered me the chance to work with them instead of being afraid of getting captured all the time," Hana began with a slight fidget. "So I accepted and they assigned me here as a waitress. I'm going to be a customer service email reply operator for their main website so they want me to practice dealing with customers who have questions or who may be angry for some reason," Hana's voice rose in pitch and her eyes lit up with excitement.

Kisho nodded appreciatively, "Just stay calm, polite, and remember that you can't please everyone. Some humans just like to cause trouble and will never be satisfied no matter what you offer them," he offered kindly as Ren handed the menu's back to her. Hana's brow wrinkled and she nodded seriously as she took in that advice.

She glanced across the room and was about to say something else when her jaw dropped open. Her eyes widened in shock and her body froze.

Raising an eyebrow, Kisho and Ren followed her gaze and saw a pair of new people walk into the cafe. He could tell just by their clothing and the way they moved that they were A.I.'s. One had the appearance of a young male, but his face was obscured by a hood. His clothing was all black. The lady next to him looked a bit older and had pale blue-green hair with frosted ends and a sundress of the same colors. The way they moved was fluid and natural. Clearly they were a part of the system rather then just being visitors here like he and Ren were.

The woman's eyes flicked across the room before landing right on them. Leaning over she whispered to her companion and he nodded and uncrossed his arms.

Kisho noticed that all of the other A.I's in the room had suddenly gone silent. The other hackers in the area had picked up on this as well and the cafe grew quieter as all conversation ground to a halt.

Glancing over at their waitress Ren asked, "So what's up? You A.I.'s apparently know who they are." Hana clutched the menu's in her hand tightly and let out a small squeak at the question.

"I've only heard whispers about them... I've never seen them before, but their data is unmistakable. They're the _Children of Morganna_... two of the Eight Epitaphs!" Hana whispered with a wide spook-eyed look on her face. The siblings exchanged knowing look at those words. Every hacker worth their skills had heard rumors of the Epitaphs and knew the full story behind the rogue A.I. Morganna and how she had caused the Second Network Crisis. Now the remaining pieces of her known commonly as the Eight Epitaphs were said to be under the control of special Users who were working with the Network Administration Bureau and CC Corp.

_So what would they be doing here? I wonder..._ Kisho turned to his twin with a slight smile on his lips. "It would seem our bait netted us a fish much larger then we expected," he commented blithely and Ren snorted and gave the two a hooded look as the powerful A.I.'s scanned the room evidently searching for something... or someone.

"Whatever happened it's all your fault."

"Thanks for the support. I'll remember that when the NAB comes knocking for someone to take on their next big hacking job."

Rolling her eyes at that jab, Ren changed the subject. "You don't really think one of them was looking at Narina's adoption records do you?" she questioned as all of the other A.I.'s whispered softly amongst themselves. The woman lifted an arm and a glowing white orb formed in her hand. When the data had finished piecing itself together it popped up into the air and started humming a cheerful tune.

Kisho glanced over at her wryly, "Does that answer your question? Really sister did you have to add in the music and singing?"

"I wanted it to seem harmless! You would have shot it off with this robotic, 'follow me or else' tone of voice!"

"Hush up, I think their getting ready to say something."

As predicted the man dressed in black stared at it for a moment before lifted his head to address them all. "We know this place is run by the NAB. A security A.I. was kind enough to explain everything to us. Somebody here sent this message from this server to get our attention and we would like to know why," he stated in a commanding tone. All of the humans looked around at each other and most backed up or slid their chairs away to show that they had nothing to do with this.

Kisho thought carefully about what to do next. He didn't relish the thought of just raising his hand and saying, "hey, here we are!" but at the same time these Epitaph's were working with the NAB. Rhodesia Kajongwe from Zimbabwe and Niketas Zykov of Russia were the ambassadors confirmed to have come to Japan to take over operations of CC Corp. So it was logical to assume that they were watching over and directing the Eight Epitaphs as well.

"Shall we? We're both doing our operations by the consent of the NAB so technically we're on the same side," Kisho determined. Ren hummed slightly.

"We're also the only ones in the room not scampering out of the way _and_ they're standing there staring right at us now."

"You just have to spoil my fun and logic by being realistic don't you?"

"Call me crazy, I know."

"Don't tempt me."

Kisho leaned back in his chair and looked back at Hana who was still frozen solid to her current spot. Sighing slightly he waved his hand to shoo her off and she quickly shook her head and darted off to the safety of the bar.

The two Epitaph's walked up to them and stared down at the hackers. The man had an intimidating aura about him, while the woman seemed more curious than anything. Apparently the guy realized that everyone was staring and glared at them. Quickly everyone turned around and pretended to go back to their work or conversations. Pulling a chair out the woman took a seat across from Kisho as the guy slid into a chair next to Ren.

"Hmm, I didn't know the NAB had a place like this set up. Seems we've been slacking off a little when it comes to gathering information. However, that doesn't explain why you're following me. If your here then your working with the NAB," Innis commented as her eyes flicked across the room. "So are they having you follow us? Or is this a personal matter? Everyone here does seems to be hackers or A.I.'s after all," she continued curiously. Ren's eyes danced with interest and mischief as she looked back and forth between the two.

"Well, you see this is more of a personal matter for us so we can't get the higher up's at the NAB to help out. So we've been poking around various government agencies in our attempt to find a... certain someone. During this search we found you looking around at some personal files of hers and wanted to know who you were," Ren said vaguely, but with just the right amount of honesty. She looked over at her brother and he gave her a small nod to encourage her.

"There aren't many reasons why one of the Eight Epitaph's would be looking around at someone's adoption records, but I can think of just a few," Ren commented as both A.I.'s stiffened. Smiling at their surprised look she added, "Being a hacker with the NAB is rather nice you know. It makes you privy to all sorts of juicy information. They can't accuse you of hacking into their systems because that's the job they hired you to do for them in the first place. Snippets and pieces of emails and confidential reports can be very revealing as well."

The woman pursed her lip and turned to her companion silently. He gave a small shake of his head and she narrowed her eyes at him. After a moment he lifted his head and crossed his arms defiantly. She scowled at him and he sighed and shook his head.

Straightening up in his chair they guy spoke up, "Okay, you know who we are. That doesn't really tell us much. Why are you looking for her?" he demanded coldly. Kisho decided to take this one on.

"She's someone important to us," he informed and the A.I. tapped his fingers on his arm impatiently. Sliding a look over at his twin, he sent his sister a glance and she smirked. They both knew what the other was thinking. There was only one reason why an Epitaph of all A.I.'s would be looking around at their sister's files and that was because they knew her personally and needed the information or were just curious about her background. Why else would they not only look at it, but make a copy and take it with them?

Silence echoed between them. Both were curious about the other, but neither one was willing to reveal too much about themselves.

"Kisho and Ren Evans. Certified hackers with the NAB. Currently operating in Japan. We report directly to Niketas Zykov so you can just talk to him and run a background check. I believe that will turn up everything you need to know," Kisho explained slyly. Ren chuckled at those words as the guy gave them a funny look. The woman sucked in a sharp breath and her eyes immediately lit up. The Epitaph in black was about to say something when she grabbed his arm to silence him. He grunted and tried to pry her hand off his bicep, but she just gripped him tighter.

"Very well. We'll be in touch with you later," she said before snapping her fingers and transferring out of the area.

* * *

**AN:** Miracle of miracles I got an update out in under a month! Not the most stimulating ever, but we need a bit of a filler before getting into the final action of this story.

I put a new post up on the forum about the Avatar's and I know that you'll find it very interesting, so please go and check it out!

Hope you enjoyed it and please review everyone!


	41. History of The World

Time-line Update: Thursday, December 5th.

Chapter 41: History of The World

* * *

Ryou fidgeted uneasily and pulled at his clothes. He had been released from the hospital under Rhodesia's orders and would be going back to the G.U. Headquarters Complex later on. His doctor Lien Mei had been very unhappy at this development and urged him to stay, but as an NAB Ambassador, Rhodesia outranked the physician on several levels and her word on the matter was final.

Earlier this morning, Reiko had filled him and Chigusa in on what had been happening while they were out of commission. Gorre being captured, Iori in critical condition in Osaka, Niketas Zykov coming in to help assist them in the fight against Aihane and Macha being attacked by Xen—the same patchwork shark AIDA that had nearly gotten captured Innis and killed Chigusa. She had hesitated for a moment before telling them that Kaoru was in a coma now as well and it was unclear as to whether or not he would make it.

Sighing heavily, Ryou rubbed his forehead wearily as he recalled all of this information. He had a feeling that Reiko hadn't told him something, though. She had started to say something about Masato, Ovan's player, but then she topped and glanced pointedly at Rhodesia, but the foreign woman merely shook her head. What else was there that could possibly go wrong? What had Reiko been about to say? And more importantly what was Rhodesia hiding about Masato?

Glancing up, Ryou stared down the head table to where the new guy Niketas was sitting. He was talking with Rhodesia in low serious tones, but she was clearly struggling to pay attention. When she came in earlier this morning to say hello and to check up on both himself and Chigusa he could see that _something_ was troubling her immensely. Now he knew what it was. Kaoru didn't open up to a lot of people, but it was obvious to all that Rhodesia was a person that he trusted implicitly. They were very close friends and she held an obvious affection for the reclusive young man. For all of Kaoru's attachment to Ryou, he still spoke to him far, far less than he did to Rhodesia.

_Even if she doesn't have an Avatar like we do she still stands stands to loose a close friend of hers._ Ryou pursed his lips and looked over at his girlfriend. Chigusa was staring down at the table top with the same slightly unfocused look that he got when he was talking with Skeith.

So Tomonari, Reiko, Niketas, and Rhodesia were all here as well. It was actually rather depressing to see how little progress G.U. had made so far. It was true the Epitaphs were all getting stronger, but that didn't keep Aihane from capturing them. Abtrunniger and Dendeira may have come to join them, but they couldn't use Data Drain and the appearance of Xen had made it clear that Aihane still had _plenty_ of tricks up his sleeve.

_Two steps forward five steps back,_ Ryou thought with a sigh as the door opened again to show some adults. He could see his parents standing there in the back and assumed that all of the others were parents or relatives of the other G.U. members.

_That's Shino's mother and father. The ones going to sit on the right are Bo's parents and Masato's parents are right behind them,_ Skeith tersely pointed everyone out, but didn't bother with names. Chances were they would never see any of these people again anyway.

Thanking his Avatar, Ryou straightened up in his chair as his dad looked over towards them and frowned. Misano clearly didn't like the fact that he was sitting next to 's body tensed and he clenched his fists at that sight. She was _his_ girlfriend and he _did not _like the fact that she was being looked down on and disrespected.

Above his head the lights hummed louder and started to flicker.

He knew that his parents were just worried about him and wanted to know that he was okay. He could easily handle and appreciate that; it was the way his father looked at Chigusa that he didn't like. Misano stared down his nose at her as if she weren't good enough to be with his son. As if she didn't deserve to be with him and that pissed him off to no end.

Ryou was too irritated with his father to notice that the large screen on the wall of the conference room was starting to hitch and flicker with static. He was distracted when Chigusa reached over and slid her hand into his own, she entwined her fingers with his and squeezed her boyfriend's hand reassuringly. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to relax and settled back in his chair.

The TV screen returned to normal and the humming and flickering of the lights stopped as well.

Chigusa was right and she didn't even need to say anything to him. She was trying to tell him to calm down and that was something he certainly needed to do right now.

_I need to focus more on what's going on with Aihane trying to destroy the world and less on whether or not dad approves of my girlfriend, _Ryou thought with more than a little chagrin as everyone took their seats. Niketas waved his hand and the lights dimmed.

Both he and Rhodesia stood up and bowed politely to everyone seated in the room.

Niketas started first. "Welcome to this undisclosed location. We apologize for not being able to tell you where we are exactly, but there is a great need for secrecy as you will soon see," he began as the TV screen split off and displayed a couple different news reports about CC Corp coverups. Another was a segment accusing the Network Administration Bureau of underplaying the intelligence and security risk that A.I.'s posed to the world. One asked if A.I.'s even more intelligent than human beings were already around and if the NAB was keeping their existence a secret.

Ryou all ready knew the answers to all of those questions. CC Corps middle name was "coverup" and the NAB was for sure keeping strict tabs on how much information the public received on how intelligent A.I. systems were. The Epitaphs for their part were extremely smart, but more so than humans? That was a matter for great debate. They were certainly faster at gathering and putting statistics together and understanding things, but when it came to other more simple things they were practically clueless.

For example, Skeith could hack the Pentagon security system, commandeer a jet filled with innocent passengers, take a tank for a joy ride around a military base (Ryou nearly had a heart attack when he finally learned about this particular incident), splice information into live news feeds and so one. Yet, he had trouble understanding concepts such as holding a grudge, parental love, and death. Skeith understood the fact that all humans died, but he still clearly had trouble grasping the concept that one day Ryou just... wouldn't be here with him anymore. He had tried to explain things further to his Avatar, but Skeith had become so upset and distressed over the topic that Ryou finally just let it drop.

_Your getting distracted, brat._

Skeith's sneering voice brought Ryou's attention back to the matter at hand.

Frowning slightly he tried to act like he hadn't missed anything when Niketas glanced over at him.

"Now I believe it is time for you to meet the A.I.'s your family members are involved with. Please place the M2D's over your eyes and we will take care of the rest," Niketas concluded his little speech and picked up his own pair. Slipping off his sunglasses he put them on. All of the other adults did the same thing, but the Epitaph Users no longer had a need for such tangible attachments to the network.

_Are you ready? This will be the first time for all of you. I've taken you online before, but those were under different circumstances,_ Skeith warned calmly. The A.I. wasn't worried about the process, he was just making sure that his User was okay with it.

Ryou ran his thumb over the back of Chigusa's hand even as he closed his eyes.

_I'm transferring your mind to the network now._

There was a moment of tense silence that faded to a blackness unlike anything he had ever seen before. Then suddenly colors and streams of data exploded and funneled around him.

* * *

Scorpius hissed and the spines lying flat across his shell rose and bristled in response to his anger. Ever since joining forces with Corbenik and Fidchell he had been trying everything he could to rid himself of this slave drive within him. Yet no matter what he did Aihane was always one step ahead.

The scorpion AIDA had come _soooo_ close to unlocking its secrets and getting rid of it once and for all, but then... Xen came. He didn't know how long Aihane had been keeping the shark AIDA in his possession, but whether it was a long time or short he hadn't been wasting that time.

Xen was a patchwork of convoluted information that was screaming to be fixed. So in an attempt to fill this need, the shark devoured any and all data he could sink his teeth into. Whether the hacker had tried a slave drive on Xen or not was uncertain, but Scorpius suspected that the answer was no. The AIDA's data was just too damaged for him to see the code doing its work properly. Either way, Aihane evidently hadn't been sitting still. He often brought Scorpius in to supervise and guard the area while he examined Xen's data.

After one such session the human had disappeared and not logged into this system for several days. When he finally came back the first thing he did was install an upgrade to the slave drives within them. Gorre was still healing from the capture attempt and hadn't gotten one yet. So Aihane had put in his newest version and it had shot through their systems and integrated itself into their data with frightening speed.

Now... now there was nothing left to do. They had tried their hardest, but it wasn't good enough. Aihane had outsmarted them without even realizing he was harboring a traitor. Nothing was spoken in the hearing of the other AIDA since some, although a very slim few, were indeed loyal to Aihane of their own free will and could report the news back to him. Still word was spreading among those AIDA fragments loyal to Scorpius that "the strongest one" had allied himself with the "Children of Morganna".

If he had just figured out a way to break the mystery of the slave drive and release himself from the grip of this slave drive within him then they might have had a chance to not only escape, but wreck Aihane's plans as well.

_Now there is no hope left. This... this thing inside of me can't be deleted, hacked, tapped, or even touched without Aihane finding out about it. We have no other options left. Only the wisdom of Aura can stop Aihane now, _Scorpius thought as he closed his eyes and resigned himself to his fate.

* * *

Something was wrong with Skeith.

Haseo looked back at his Avatar who was in his normal monstrous form. They had all transferred to the Canard Home area within The World and most of the Epitaphs had opted for more human figures so as not to scare the other adults off. Skeith had been in his human form when Haseo first arrived, but now he refused to sit at the table with the rest of them. So instead he was sitting up on the stone rafters hidden back in the shadows. From the way Innis kept glancing up at him she could tell that something was off too.

All of the adults were still busy looking around at the surroundings and the Epitaphs so it gave everyone else a moment to talk.

Atoli flicked her eyes up at Skeith once more before turning and switching to Private Chat so they could talk more easily.

"What's wrong with Skeith? He's a lot more... moody then usual. Did something happen?" she asked thought about that for a moment as he pursed his lips.

"Earlier today Skeith was pounding me with questions the way he always does and then he asked me about..." he paused for a moment and looked down at the table before him. "He asked me about death and why humans die. I wasn't really able to answer that. I mean there are all sorts of religious opinions, but there's nothing I could back up with science. He asked me to just give my best response the way I usually do, but... all I could say was that every living, biological creature has a body that starts breaking down and dies at some point," Haseo winced at the memory and closed his eyes.

"I don't think Skeith had fully realized that I would get old and die as well," he confessed as he looked up at his morose Avatar. Skeith had been silent and reserved ever since he put an end to the conversation this morning. Atoli's eyes softened at that explanation as Haseo rubbed his neck uneasily.

"There's nothing I can do about it, but... I don't like seeing him upset like this and after what happened up on the roof with you..." he stopped as his voice hitched. Taking a deep breath he continued, "After all of that I can't exactly say that his fears are unfounded," Haseo honestly admitted. The way Aihane was coming after them it wasn't inconceivable to imagine that their lives might be cut tragically short. Everyone knew that but it wasn't exactly something they _talked_ about. They wanted to focus on _living_ not dying.

Even though Haseo knew all of this it was still troubling to _feel_ just how upset and distressed his partner and friend was. It also made him somewhat uncomfortable to be able to pick up on Skeith's every thought and emotion when the A.I. so clearly did not want to talk about it. Adding to the problem was the fact that his parents were here. Skeith was not only moody, but downright possessive as well. He didn't fully understand the bond between a parent and their child and was getting defensive over that and the fact that they had a relationship with Haseo that might be stronger then his own.

Atoli gave him a warm smile, "Don't worry. We'll deal with that when the time comes," she said smoothly and Haseo nodded slowly. Relaxing at that reassurance he nodded and changed the chat mode as his mother started talking.

"Is that... is that it? That A.I. you control?" Kitade asked hesitantly as the white Avatar turned and stared down at her. Skeith's eyes narrowed with distaste and his hands clenched into fists.

"I am a _him_ and my _name_ is Skeith," he snarled bitterly as he leaned down closer. Misano pursed his lips and stared back evenly at the Epitaph. Shifting his gaze between the two tense parties, Haseo decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Come down here and sit at the table with us already. We're here to talk things over, not to start a fight," Haseo commanded sternly. Growling at those words Skeith mumbled to himself and data swirled around his body as he altered his form. Seconds later a more lithe human male jumped down from the rafters and landed silently on the stone floor.

Skeith straightened up and shoved his hands in his pockets. He was dressed in all black like before and had his hood up to cover his face. Slowly he stalked over to the table and took the empty seat between his User and Innis.

Once he was seated he crossed his bare arms and slouched down unhappily; he glared across the table at Kitade and Misano.

"Why do _they_ have to be here? I don't see how this meeting could possibly help anyone... they're not CC Corp employees or Epitaph Users. Explaining things to a bunch of inconsequential humans couldn't possibly solve anything," Skeith stated coldly. Down at the head of the table Niketas took a deep breath to steady his nerves. Rhodesia was posing as her The World character Ambrosia, but everyone else had avatars as close as possible to their real world bodies.

"You can voice your complaints later. Right now we have business to take care of and you, Terror of Death, will be civil and allow us to finish what he have to say," Niketas stated boldly and Skeith's mouth dropped open at the fact that the Russian man dared to give _him_ orders. By the time he recovered his composure, Niketas had already moved on.

"Thank you all for coming. It is our desire to explain the aim and purpose of the G.U. unit. Years ago a man by the name of Harold Hoerwick created an artificial intelligence system that he called Morganna. This program was created to gather information on human emotions and feed it into another A.I. That Harold named Aura. After the "birth" or completion of Aura then Morganna would self destruct as it were. Well clearly she didn't take kindly to this idea," Niketas explained. He looked over at Rhodesia, but she shook her head and motioned for him to continue.

"So to keep herself alive Morganna decided to stall Aura's growth. To do this she took the mind of a young girl and imprisoned her online. This online character Tsukasa was then forced to experience negative emotions to the point that Aura's learning process was affected severely. It was a grand experiment that was hidden in plan sight. Thankfully several other players figured out what was going on and freed Tsukasa from The World," Niketas continued and now Rhodesia, or Ambrosia as she was currently role-playing, spoke up.

"But not over the matter was. Morganna still much very alive. Create she did the Eight Phases known also as Eight Epitaphs who same abilities as her had and the same desire to gather information. Used them attack Aura and those all who help her tried. More players came to help and fought against these new eight A.I.'s," she stopped there and motioned back to Niketas.

"Thank you. But since these Eight Phases were part of Morganna it had a devastating side effect. You see she was not just any program... no, she was integrated into every facet of The World. Each time a Phase was destroyed the game suffered as well and when the game started to suffer it began taking the rest of the worlds network infrastructure with it," Niketas offered as he brought up a screen. It was a news feed with the glaring headline: _Pluto Again! The Second Network Crisis devastates the world once more!_

Bo/Iori's father nodded slowly as his wife whispered something to him. "I remember that. I was stranded in Tokyo for three days because the rail lines were shut down and the traffic lights were going crazy," he confirmed. Sitting several seats down, Haseo's father Misano made a face at all of this information.

"What does any of this have to do with what's happening now?" Misano demanded with great irritation.

Skeith snorted and rolled his eyes dramatically. "Shut your big mouth for a second and maybe you'll find out, idiot," he muttered and then hissed when Innis stomped on his foot underneath the table. A sweet smile flashed up to Innis lips and she nodded for Niketas to continue. Sighing slightly at their behavior he pinched his nose for a moment and then waved the news clip away.

"Anyway, the Eight Phases were defeated one by one until in the final battle only Corbenik was left. Thankfully Aura appeared and saved us all from a crisis that could have been much, _much_ worse. In the process she was reborn as the Ultimate A.I. a data based life-form that, intelligence-wise, is indistinguishable from humans. She stabilized the game and the entire network thus leading us into the golden age of this MMORPG as well as for businesses in real life. It was truly an amazing time," Niketas thought wistfully.

Leaning forward, Ambrosia took over, "Unfortunately not last long did it. Only from 2011 to 2014. Realize Aura did that people depending on her abilities too much. So in 2015 she pulled herself out of The World and disappeared. Without Aura bugs start appearing in Altimit OS and hackers multiply. Money stolen out of banks, identity theft increases, internet piracy and on the rise again all of that goes. This all tied to Aura's disappearance, so CC Corp Project G.U. create and begins Restore Aura plan," she glanced over at Tarvos who was sitting next to Pi at the moment.

Tarvos was swathed in a loose pink and purple top with bandages around her middle and spiked wrist bands. There was a large stake strapped to her back and loose pink pants with nails sticking out of the sides. The Epitaph cleared her throat and everyone turned to look at her.

"The theory was that by collecting the Epitaph's they would be able to bring Morganna back and thus draw Aura out of hiding. This failed splendidly of course and that led to the fire at the CC Corp office. All of the Epitaphs and the PC's they were tied to escaped into the game where we soon found our "chosen" users, in other words a person with the mental, emotional, and physical capacity to wield their power. The following year of 2016 the first outbreak of AIDA was spotted and Masato Indou began investigating it with his online character Ovan," Tarvos explained and at the mention of his name, both his parents took a deep breath of surprise. "Not long after this CC Corp hired Takumi Hino to investigate on their behalf. It would seem that AIDA was formed by the data errors that started appearing after Aura's disappearance. They are the first A.I. to be created entirely devoid of human influence," she continued her explanation.

"They were peaceful bystanders that mostly just stayed in The World where there was an abundance of people for them to observe. Soon there were several thousand AIDA and more developing by the hour, but one of them became aggressive and attacked a player. Since all of them are connected it wasn't long before all of the other AIDA became aggressive and started to attack other players as well. Soon all of the Epitaphs had found their partners who you see seated here. Others such as Shino were the victims of an AIDA attack and were the impetus that spurred the Epitaph Users into action. Shino slipped into an unexplainable coma and its thanks to Ryou's determination that you were able to get her back," Tarvos stopped to take a breath and glanced over at Haseo who gave her a "don't you dare look at me" glare.

Rolling her eyes at that Tarvos motioned for Innis to take the reins. Thanking her the Mirage of Deceit took over the explanation.

"A lot happened and we don't have time to go through all of it, but suffice to say that it is all thanks to Ovan... to Masato that we were able to defeat Tri-Edge, the AIDA that started these most recent troubles. Once Tri-Edge was destroyed the other AIDA were separated and fragmented. Now a hacker by the name of Aihane is captured them and using them to enslave the Epitaphs as well. We believe his ultimate goal is to capture Skeith and use his power to summon Aura and then take control of her as well. If he can do that there's no one that can stop him. We just don't have the technological know how to stop an A.I. as advanced as Aura is. It's a race against time and we need as much help as we can get," Innis concluded as she bit her lower lip nervously.

Bo's father bristled at those words, "Not that the expense of my son you don't! I can see how this could be a become a major problem like Plutos Kiss and Pluto Again, but that doesn't excuse the fact that your using... children and teenagers to do your dirty work!" he blurted out angrily. This time Magus spoke up. He was tall and thin with short green, white, and gold hair. He had gloves on and a tight gold and green shirt with brown pants decorated with emerald leaves.

"Hold on a minute! Iori knew what he was getting himself into and he chose to stay and fight with us! No one forced him to stay!" Magus shot back. Kuhn winced and grabbed his Epitaph's arm, "That's enough. This isn't a matter of whether or not Bo helped us willingly. It's the fact that he helped us at all. I mean... he's still a child and his parents have the right to decide what he can and can't do," he stated and Magus settled back obediently, but the look on his face clearly showed that he didn't understand.

Skeith narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, "How do you figure that? Bo is the Epitaph User here, not them. They shouldn't have any say in the matter at all! If anyone determines what happens from here on then it should be the other Epitaph Users or us... the Avatar's who picked him and work with him," he stated strongly. Ambrosia looked over at Tarvos and Magus who both nodded to show their agreement with the first Phase.

"And you Innis?" she inquired curiously. Innis glanced around at everyone seated at the table and closed her eyes solemnly.

"My natural inclination is to agree with my fellow Epitaphs... yet... I'll admit that I can't fully understand your... attachment to him. Perhaps you could explain that matter to us further?" Innis stated reasonably. Atoli took a breath and immediately everyone whipped around to stare at her. She blushed and sat up taller in her chair.

"They love him because Bo is their son... they..." Atoli paused for a moment to search for the right word, "... they created him," she explained. Haseo couldn't help but make a face at her choice of phrasing. Even the adults were giving her funny looks.

Magus, however, raised both eyebrows at her statement. "Created... like Harold Hoerwick created Aura?" he leaned forward curiously. Even Skeith seemed more interested, but he rolled his eyes at his friend's choice of words.

"Giving birth isn't quite the same as creating an A.I."

"Giving... birth? To what?"

"Ugh... look it up idiot."

Skeith brushed him off and looked back at Misano and Kitade.

"You created Ryou?" he frowned and corrected himself. "You gave birth to him?" Both parents were caught off guard but finally Haseo's mother nodded affirmatively.

"Yes, just like they gave birth to... to Bo. That's why they're so attached to him and worry about him. They love him and want the best for him," Kitade offered in return. "I'm sure Harold wanted the best for Aura when he created her as well. That's why he created this game, so that she would have a home and be safe here, right?" she added with a pleased smile satisfied with her analogy. Tarvos muttered under her breath, Magus shrugged his shoulders, and Skeith looked at Haseo's parents with new respect.

Innis was about to say something, but then gasped and put a hand to her head. Not even a second later all the other Epitaphs reacted and looked at each other. Something was up.

"What happened? Is it Aihane?" Niketas demanded leaning forward on the table. Ambrosia lowered her head slightly as she received a message.

Innis winced and closed her eyes. When she opened them she exchanged a look with Ambrosia/Rhodesia who looked just as upset.

Misano frowned angrily as he demanded answers. Kitade looked over at Haseo who was clenching his fists in frustration.

Taking a deep breath Innis let it out slowly before replying, "Azure Balmung and Azure Orca were just captured by Hinote Gorre, Gorre Taiga, and... Scorpius. I believe that's the same scorpion AIDA that came after Skeith before back in Breg Epona." She whispered it in a mournful tone of voice.

Silence fell upon the room. The adults just looked confused and Misano was glaring down at Niketas for more answers. All of the Epitaphs, though, knew exactly what that meant.

Aura created the three Azure Knights to protect The World from harm. They removed hackers from game if they began causing instability within the system. They knew from the very beginning that Ovan was infected by Tri-Edge and chased after him relentlessly so they could eradicate the aggressive AIDA, but they were also Aura's _personal _line of defense and now the only one left... was Azure Kite.

* * *

**AN:** Closer and closer we're getting! The end of this story is getting so close! And what an ending it will be!

In the meantime, Skeith is having trouble understanding what "death" is, Scorpius has given up and Aihane has created a new type of slave drive, the meeting has ended better than expected but still has a disturbing end as information reaches their ears that two of the Azure Knight have been captured. Now only Azure Kite is left.

Next chapter its a rush to figure you just _where _where Azure Kite is and if he's okay. Ren and Kisho are summoned by Niketas and learn that their little sister is a lot closer than they thought, and I'll try to get back to Masato and Shino as well. The final stages are being set and the battle that starts the beginning of the end is soon to be upon us!

Thank you for reading and please review!


	42. Putting Plans In Motion

Time-line Update: Thursday afternoon, December 5th.

Chapter 42: Putting Plans In Motion

* * *

Azure Flame Kite dodged behind a wall and leaned against in, panting heavily. Azure Balmung and Azure Orca had barely managed to hold off Gorre's twin tactics. The AIDA, though, had swooped in when they all started to flag and quickly captured them both. Then it proceeded to overcome his own defenses. He had used up most of his energy going into his Azure Flame God form to fight off this scorpion AIDA. Now he was running away, jumping through Outer Dungeons and random fields to try and escape his pursuers. Closing his eyes he examined the data and let out a hiss as he opened his eyes.

It was still coming.

He didn't understand what was going on, but that AIDA was _not _normal. It was different, like Tri-Edge had been different. While he was fighting he could sense that its data was nearly identical to that of an Epitaph. It was just like fighting Skeith, the First Phase. They had been investigating this strange occurrence ever since Tri-Edge was defeated and AIDA was fragmented. It seemed that several had infected the Epitaph's and stolen their abilities, giving them the same strength as each of the Phases. The one chasing him right now _must_ have infected Skeith. Unfortunately, all of these AIDA seemed to be growing in power right along with the Eight Phases.

Defeating one was easy, but taking down an AIDA like the one following him now was a different matter considering that he hadn't been able to defeat Skeith in his first form. This one following him had infected the Epitaph in his second form at the very least. Without Azure Balmung and Azure Orca to back him up the chances of being successful against his current pursuer were very slight. It was true that he absorbed data from the surrounding area to heal his data and then change into his Azure flame God form, but it would be another couple of seconds before he was able to recharge fully and use it again.

Closing his eyes again Azure Kite ran through his options. There weren't many. Calling Aura was not possible. An Epitaph and AIDA working together to capture him and his companions? It didn't make sense. Besides he could tell from the way the data formed around them that they were being controlled by an outside source. Whoever was doing this might have the power to hurt Aura. He would not put her in danger by calling her in to help him. He was her Knight, the one put in charge of the others and set with the task of protecting The World in her place. He would die for her and his home without hesitation.

A data tear opened above him and glaring red eyes stared down balefully.

The AIDA was here.

* * *

The meeting was effectively over and the parents and other adults had been unceremoniously booted out of The World as a safety measure. Now the Epitaph Users were gathered together as Rhodesia/Ambrosia briefed them in their Outer Dungeon hangout. Magus and Abtrunniger were busy scanning visual records to see which area the Azure Knights had last been spotted at. Abtrunniger bent his head back to address them.

"It shouldn't be to hard to find him. The real question is whether or not we'll have enough time to help him once we do," the cobra AIDA offered as Magus continued to flipped through the video's that had been recorded and those that were still playing. "See The World itself is alive and is an artificial intelligence system in it's own right. Aura made it that way just before her disappearance by modifying Harold Hoerwick's original design. That's what CC Corp assumes anyway. Nothing at all like we AIDA or you Epitaphs, but enough to get the job done, which is providing information directly to Aura and providing a safe haven for Vagrant A.I.'s," Abtrunniger added as he lifted his head and went back to the screens in front of him. One had words scrolling down at lightning speeds and occasionally words or sentences would highlight and Innis would take over and start talking to someone or something from there.

"So it automatically, but passively keeps track of where the Azure Knights are at any given time. Thankfully we also have the verbal accounts of all the other A.I's who live here and who work for CC Corp in security. We've ordered them to be on the lookout for any signs or data trails from the Azure Knights. Innis follows up on any leads and Dendeira heads from area to area if it seems reasonable that Azure Kite might be there. At any moment we'll have him pinned down," Abtrunniger added as a loud beep sounded throughout the room.

Magus waved his hand and the video's came together and flicked to a new area. "We've got him. Scorpius too, but no sign of Hinote Gorre or Gorre Taiga," he said calmly as the screen showed an image of Azure Kite changing into his Azure Flame God form and defending himself against Scorpius. "Dendeira is intervening." Magus added as a new data tear opened and the fish AIDA sprang out from it.

Ambrosia turned and glanced at them before frowning. "Atoli you and Innis go assist her will," she ordered.

Haseo swallowed hard at that, but he knew that he couldn't shield his girlfriend from everything in life no matter how much he wanted to do so. She was an Epitaph User just like he was and that meant fighting together with Innis and shouldering her own G.U. responsibilities.

Atoli paused for a moment, but then lifted her chin. "Yes, ma'am. Innis and I are ready to fight!" she said firmly.

Abtrunniger bobbed his head and waved his tail. "Off you go then! No time to waste!" he said cheerily. Warp rings rose up around Atoli as he transferred her into the right area. Glancing over at Haseo he smiled warmly. "Don't worry about her. They'll do just fine," he said reassuringly. "Besides we have something else we need to you investigate in the meantime. The World itself has split its attention between the battle with Azure Kite and a couple newcomers who have just logged in. They were trying to get in and were transferred to Mac Anu without even having to set up characters of their own. I think someone helped them set up false accounts," the cobra AIDA offered as he brought up a snapshot.

It was...Kite and BlackRose?

Haseo frowned suspiciously. Of course he recognized the legendary dothackers, but... what were they doing _here_? Skeith was clearly surprised as well, but he didn't feel any animosity or anger coming from his Avatar. A bit strange considering that Kite had been the one who originally fought and defeated him.

_A.I.'s don't hold grudges. We're too good for such base emotions as that, _Skeith said arrogantly. Haseo rolled his eyes and didn't deign to answer that statement. They were interrupted by another comment from Magus.

"Looks like a forced transfer straight to where Azure Kite is. Looks like the system is throwing them together either to see what happens or to see which one is the real thing," Magus commented as he pointed to the video that was still showing a live feed. It showed Innis and Dendeira running interference and a second later the characters who looked like Kite and BlackRose appeared down on the floor.

Pi gasped and pushed her glasses up farther. "What is the system doing? It dropped them straight into a war zone! Who knows what will happen to them!" she objected and turned to Ambrosia in shock.

Niketas, who had been silently observing until now, snorted at that comment. "Abtrunniger said that it was an A.I... he never said it was particularly intelligent or insightful. Thankfully for CC Corp it's passive enough that they were able to restructure the game and start making themselves a fortune again," he grunted as Haseo turned and glared at Pi.

"You knew about this!" he demanded and the flush on her face provided a clear answer. He looked away in disgust. "You need to tell us these things! Not just let them out whenever things come to fruition!" he argued angrily and Pi glared right back at him.

"There was no need to inform you of such a trivial matter. It had no impact on our mission and thus did not need to be explained," she pointed out.

Niketas clapped his hands to interrupt them. "Enough. Go there and make sure those players don't get hurt. Grab them and bring them back here. We have to interrogate them and see whether or not they are really who they appear to be online," he said calmly.

Ambrosia turned and frowned at him. "Interrogate? Question you mean," she chided and Niketas smirked in response.

"Same thing."

"No wonder Epitaphs like you don't."

Abtrunniger smiled to himself and looked down at Haseo. "Ready to go? Beginning transfer now!"

Haseo took a deep breath as the warp rings rose up around him and transferred him away from the Outer Dungeon.

* * *

Haseo appeared in the tower dungeon in full Avatar form. Looking over he could already see Innis fighting Scorpius as Azure Kite provided backup. The AIDA backed up and it's tail opened up to reveal a sharp needle. It gathered data and fired an Algol Laser from the tip right at Azure Flame Kite who took it right in the chest. He grunted and clutched at his body as pieces of data fell down to reveal the coding beneath. Blue flames burst around him as he changed back to his first form, Azure Flame Kite. Immediately, he jumped forward and reached out to catch the falling A.I.

Skeith caught him and he looked up at Innis. "We'll take care of him and protect the players. Just stay focused on fighting Scorpius okay?" Haseo told Atoli and Innis nodded in response before vanishing and reappearing behind the AIDA and slashing at him with her sword before firing several energy shots at him. The Mirage of Deceit weaved back and forth using illusions to distract Scorpius before methodically attacking him.

Skeith floated down to the floor and carefully placed Azure Kite next to the two players who looked like Kite and BlackRose. They stared at Azure Flame Kite in obvious surprise and then gazed back up at him. They were clearly confused and Haseo couldn't really offer them any assistance at the moment.

What was he supposed to say?

_You sold your soul to the NAB remember? We obey Rhodesia now. Just bluff your way through all official like and we'll be fine. _Skeith offered cheerily. Haseo sniffed and decided his Epitaph was right. He had told Rhodesia that he was going to stay and see this through to the end and he meant it. No contracts may have been signed, yet at least, but Haseo was a man of his word so he would follow Rhodesia's orders even if he didn't fully understand them. The verdict was still out on Niketas, but Rhodesia seemed to respect and trust him on some level so he would try not to complain too much when the Russian gave him orders.

"You've violated The World terms of agreement by bringing unauthorized characters. As of now you are under the authority of the Network Administration Bureau and will be taken into custody for questioning," Haseo said in the most commanding tone he could muster. Summoning Skeith's scythe he ripped up a data tear into the wall and then opened a private channel to the Outer Dungeon. "Magus I've got them. Bring us back in," he confirmed privately and moments later they were transferred back into the Outer Dungeon which admittedly looked more like some type of pimped out comm center than anything else will all the screens and monitors floating around on both sides.

There was music blasting throughout the hallways as usual thanks to Abtrunniger and Magus.

He separated from Skeith and the Avatar turned and closed the data tear behind them as Haseo rolled his shoulders.

Rhodesia in her PC Ambrosia walked over and sized Kite and BlackRose up silently. "Pi and Tarvos sent to support Atoli and Innis also have I. Until then take care of Azure Kite. Question these two a little later we will. Take them to holding area. Dendeira and you watch over them will. See what you can find out," she said with a frown on her lips before turning away to watch the fight that was still going on. Tarvos had now appeared and was helping Innis take care of Scorpius, but the AIDA was proving more powerful than expected and was starting to get the upper hand.

Haseo hesitated at the thought of something happening to Atoli, but he had to trust her to hold her own at some point.

_Settle down brat. Tarvos and Innis can ward off one AIDA. Should Aihane send someone else then that's a different matter,_ Skeith said in a manner that was meant to be reassuring. Deciding the Epitaph was right Haseo motioned for Kite and BlackRose to follow him.

"Come on you two. We've got some questions that you need to answer for us," he demanded motioning them down the hallway. Both of them hesitated for a moment before following after him. They headed away from the central hub into a side corridor and then an empty space. Skeith floated along behind them the whole time. The two players spoke urgently to one another in private chat. Haseo could have asked Skeith to disable that so they couldn't talk privately but it wasn't that big of a deal at the moment.

Having nowhere else to go they both turned around. Kite hesitated and stared up at Skeith who mirrored his User's stance as Haseo crossed his arms. Slowly the Avatar leaned forward and put his hands on the floor. He put his face close to Kite's and narrowed his eyes.

"I remember you. You're that little snot Aura gave the bracelet to, of course Morganna ordered me to destroy Aura and you so we weren't exactly friends at that time."

Kite was staring back so intently that the words almost made him jump out of his skin. Slowly he backed up. Skeith however moved closer and gazed down at him through narrowed eyes. Long moments of silence dragged by before the Avatar spoke up again.

"You're taller then I remember," Skeith stated calmly. Right away Haseo sighed in relief. When translated from "Skeith speak" that essentially meant "you're not a threat to me or my User." It also meant that these people really were who they said they were. A.I.'s didn't forget things the way human beings did and they could easily tell the difference between two identical looking Player Characters with identical IP addresses and stats. There had been several tests to try and understand exactly _how_ the Avatar's did this, but nothing substantial had come of it so far.

BlackRose gasped suddenly. "Skeith! The Epitaphs are being used by CC Corp now?" she asked as he pulled back and straightened up.

Stepping forward Haseo dropped his arms and glanced back and forth between the two. "_I'm _the one asking the questions. How did you get in here with those PC's and why? The World is an extremely dangerous place now. While you may have been dot hackers at one point _you don't_ have the same status and privileges in The World that you once did. You're putting yourself in a lot of danger by being here," he stated firmly.

Kite shook his head. "I know we're just normal players now, but we've been through similar events before. We came here to see if there was something we could do to help out. We put a post on some related off-site message boards asking if anyone from 'paradise' could help us. It was what Helba called Net Slum back when we played the game. Not long after we received a response from someone called Zelkova. He said he was the leader of a Guild and that he could help us to get in contact with the right people once we got inside the game," he quickly explained, glancing up at Skeith all the while.

BlackRose nodded and then held a finger up. "Of course we didn't just trust him at first, but he emailed us and knew things about Helba that no one else would. So we used the accounts and passwords Zelkova had already set up for us and we arrived in Mac Anu looking like our old PC's again. A couple seconds later were were suddenly transferred right into the middle of that battle..." she trailed off and hesitated for a moment. "What was that thing? That player that looked like Kite?" she asked boldly.

Frowning at her forwardness Haseo turned around. "That's for us to worry about. We'll contact Zelkova and if your story checks out then we'll go from there. Until then you are both under the authority of the NAB," he said knowing that it was all true. Niketas and Rhodesia wouldn't let them go _anywhere_ until their story proved itself to be true or false. They probably couldn't even log out.

"You stay here and watch over them Skeith. I'll go back and tell everyone what's going on." Haseo stated and glanced up at his Avatar and mentally told him to stay and guard Kite and BlackRose. Skeith nodded slightly and moved to the center of the walkway so they wouldn't be tempted to try and get past him.

Haseo walked back to the central area and saw that Atoli and Pi were back with Innis and Tarvos hovering behind them. Hearing him approach Atoli turned and smiled warmly. Letting out a breath he finally relaxed. On the outside he may have looked calm, but inside Haseo had been a nervous wreck worrying about whether not she was okay fighting Scorpius and thus against Aihane. Now that she was back he felt like he could finally breathe again.

"Where did Rhodesia go?" Haseo asked upon seeing that her PC Ambrosia was no longer in the area. Dendeira however had returned and was speaking quietly to Innis.

Niketas pursed his lips slightly before answering. "There was a call from the hospital. Kaoru alternates between a comatose condition and being semi-lucid. Apparently the latter is happening and he's restless and hard to handle so they called Rhodesia to see if she could come down and help calm him down," he said somewhat softly. Shaking his head he waved the matter off. "She'll be fine. What's the verdict on our two intruders?" he asked swiftly changing the subject.

Haseo jerked a thumb back over his shoulder. "Skeith confirmed their identities. That's the real Kite and BlackRose all right. According to their story they put a post on a related off-site message board and used the keyword 'paradise' to try and attract attention," he explained as all the Epitaphs as well as Abtrunniger and Dendeira turned to listen to him speak.

Kuhn frowned and looked over at Pi and said, "That's a slang term for the old version of Net Slum isn't it?"

She nodded in confirmation. "Indeed. The hacker Helba, also known as the Queen of the Dark, created it as a haven for Vagrant A.I.'s and junk data. The only one's who would know about that would be the highest level CC Corp officers, G.U. members, or the dot hackers," she responded and then motioned for Haseo to continue.

"Apparently Zelkova responded to them and said that he could help them out and get them in contact with the right people. He emailed them with information about Helba to assure them that he was legit and then set both of them up with game accounts and passwords to use. They logged in and arrived at Mac Anu with their old PC's. We all know the rest," Haseo finished. "I left Skeith there to watch over them."

Niketas hummed and turned around. "Kuhn and Magus, I want you to go and find Zelkova. Ask him about this matter and confirm the story. Then bring him back here. Abtrunniger, trace the IP addresses for Kite and BlackRose's players to see where they are located," he ordered and the AIDA nodded and quickly got to work. Innis hesitated slightly and Niketas noticed her behavior. "Is there something else?"

The Mirage of Deceit looked down at Atoli and fidgeted uneasily, "Later today. There are things that I must go over with Chigusa first," she said hesitantly. Right away Atoli looked up in surprise and then over to Haseo who shrugged helplessly. He sure didn't know what these Avatar's were up to, he had ceased trying to figure them out a long time ago.

Apparently that statement caught Niketas slightly off-guard as well The Avatar's rarely deigned to look at him much less ask to meet with him. "I'll be in my office. Contact me when you're done. Atoli and Haseo a security team will be there to pick both of you up and escort you to where you will be staying inside the G.U. complex." Niketas commented before logging out of The World.

* * *

Corbenik, Fidchell, and Gorre had all come up with the perfect plan. The only flaw was Xen. In order for this to work out it would require the patchwork shark AIDA to work with them. They couldn't escape from Aihane's clutches, but they _could _try to protect Aura from being captured herself.

Scorpius had told them the whole story about the Eight AIDA and how each of them corresponded to the Epitaph they had originally infected. They were extremely powerful, intelligent, and had developed new, individual abilities that were different from that of any other AIDA. In order for the Avatar's to reach their full potential and final growth stage, however, each AIDA would have to return to the original Epitaph they had taken their power's from. Only then would the Eight Phases of Morganna reach their final forms and surpass anything that CC Corp had ever imagined.

Scorpius was the parallel of Skeith. Dendeira of Innis. Abtrunniger to Magus. As for Xen...

_Xen is the AIDA that infected me after Tri-Edge. He is the one that I must bond with if I am to reach my full growth,_ Corbenik considered as he looked up. _Speak of the devil. _

He saw Xen tearing into some hapless AIDA that had either defied Aihane or had been unfortunate enough to be picked as the shark's next meal. Sensing his approach Xen whirled around, his razor sharp teeth moving chainsaw fashion in his mouth. That never failed to send a shiver up his digital spine.

"Xen. There is something I wanted to talk to you about. I know how hungry you are... and I think I may be able to help you out," Corbenik offered as a sphere of data formed in his palm. It was junk data left over from all the times he had used Data Drain. His systems were filled with the stuff and each sleep cycle cleared it out and left his body restored and ready to work again. _But that automatic function can be turned off,_ he thought as Xen chomped his jaws and swam closer to him.

"Food, food, hungry, hungry. Aihane doesn't give me enough. Not nearly enough. Only eat occasionally in exchange for my help. Can you do better then him? Can you? Give me better?" Xen asked as his body twitched and jerked like a child fidgeting.

Corbenik would have grinned if he could. He had the AIDA right were he wanted it. For all his power and ability, Xen was actually rather simple-minded in his intentions. He had no ambition or concern other than to find more data to eat. This would easily work to their advantage. Right now Aihane was "feeding" Xen a random, and unfortunate, AIDA fragment once or twice a week to keep the shark from running off somewhere.

"I can feed you every day. Two or three times a day even," Corbenik offered, slowly waving the orb of data back and forth. Xen was practically drooling he was so entranced. "But you would have to help us out instead of Aihane. See you are very special and there is something that we can't do without your help," he added as the AIDA shivered with delight.

"Feed me now. Help you now," Xen reasoned as his eyes went back to the data in the Avatar's hand.

_Like clay in the hands of a potter,_ Corbenik thought with great satisfaction as he tossed it up. Like lightning Xen jumped up and swallowed it down whole. His eyes widened and he groaned with pleasure.

"Better, best, tasty! Nothing else like it! Data best I've ever tasted, need more want more! This is what I need! What I've been searching for! Feel better, not as empty as before!" the shark darted forward again, but Corbenik smacked him away with the blade on his left arm. It was just as Scorpius informed them. Xen was broken and his data filled with holes. Each piece of data from Corbenik, even if it was meaningless junk, filled one of those empty spaces and lessened Xen's confusion and pain. Once he had a small taste he would be addicted.

"I'll feed you again later today and again tonight..._ if_ you agree to help us that is," the Epitaph chastised.

Nodding quickly, Xen agreed readily to his request. "Help you, protect you, serve you, _anything_! Just more to eat! More of that same data! _Please!_" He was begging so hard that The Rebirth actually started to feel sorry for him.

"Good. Now it is only a matter of time before Aihane goes after Aura, the goddess of the network. When that time comes we need _you_ to keep her safe. Do whatever you have to do in order to keep Aihane from capturing Aura or hurting her. Until that time comes, though, just keep doing whatever he tells you do do. Okay?" Corbenik explained simply. Xen was capable of understanding and carrying out extremely complex missions, but it was still best to keep things as streamlined as possible. Xen circled him slowly as he thought about that.

"You still give me data? Feed me?" he asked warily and the Avatar nodded.

"Of course. I did promise you already didn't I?" Corbenik said agreeably. "You understand what to do right?" he added carefully.

A couple seconds passed and Xen nodded several times. "I'll help you. I'll protect you. Serve you, but make it look like I'm not a traitor to Aihane. Understood. Understand. Plan in motion. Ready to protect Aura," Xen repeated back to him.

Corbenik clenched his fist in determination. Their plan was now set and Xen was the key piece that put the whole thing in motion. Now all they needed was for Aihane to start acting.

* * *

Atoli knew that something was up and it had to be something _very _important. Innis never hid anything from her and it didn't make sense for the Epitaph to start now. Yet, Innis was unmistakably worried. Not just worried, but very concerned about how Atoli was about to react to whatever news she had to give. Even more striking was that she had changed into her human form and brought her here to this quiet spot in the Outer Dungeon to speak to her.

Taking a deep breath, Innis let it out slowly before speaking. "The doctor in the Chiba hospital told you that you were adopted right?" she began hesitantly and Atoli nodded.

_Why is she asking me this? She was listening in on the conversation,_ Atoli thought with a slight frown as Innis continued.

"I accessed your medical records in the hospital data base and looked through them to see if I could find anything more about your adoption. The information I was looking for was protected so I hacked the password and slipped through the security systems. By doing this I was able to find the name's of your family members," Innis said slowly as Atoli began to catch on.

"Your father's name... your _real _birth father's name is Ian Evans. He's an American man and your mother is pure Japanese," she stopped and let that sink in. Slowly Atoli realized what her friend and partner was telling her. As she did her face turned pale and a hand flew up to her heart.

"But that's... that's the name of the doctor who took care of me...!" she looked at Innis with wide pleading eyes and the A.I. nodded slowly.

"The story he told you about being separated from his children, the name, his nationality... it's just too much of a coincidence to be anything else. His wife divorced him and took full custody of the kids and he said himself that you would be the same age as his daughter," she stopped and shook her head. "Atoli... that man _has_ to be your birth father," Innis said firmly.

Atoli's mouth opened and closed again wordlessly. Her mind instantly flew back to all the times Dr. Evans had visited with her to check on how she was doing, to see if she needed anything, or to personally change her bandages. He had been so nice and friendly to her. That man... that man was her...?

It was too much to take in. It seemed like a fairy tale. It couldn't possibly be true!

"That's not all." Innis was watching her as if she was afraid seeing her faint or something. "The adoption records state that you have two siblings, twins, by the name of Akina Ren Evans and Kisho Yasuo Evans. After the incident with Xen that shark AIDA I realized that I was being followed by a tracing program. I couldn't find the exact person who set it up, but I think it was put there to monitor anyone who might look at those records. I waited for a while and soon a program was sent here to the Outer Dungeon and made contact with us. It was clearly sent for us to follow and so Skeith and I tracked it back to the area where it came from," Innis continued explaining slowly.

"It was the work of an expert hacker and Skeith and I ended up in a special online cafe set up by the NAB. It's one of many places designed to help captured or contraced A.I.'s interact with and learn from humans before moving on to their assignments. Only certified hackers are allowed in these places. The two hackers we met and spoke to there were the same ones who had set up that trace and who also sent out that program to get us to come to them," Innis stopped significantly.

"Atoli... they identified themselves as Kisho and Ren Evans. They are certified hackers working under Niketas jurisdiction here in Japan. They report directly to him," she said excitedly as she walked up to Atoli who was still standing there shock still.

When she finally found her voice it came out as a soft squeak. "Are... are you sure? Are they really my... my..." Atoli stopped and couldn't bring herself to say anything more. It was too much to hope for. Her heart was pounding wildly, but she didn't want to get her expectations up.

Innis reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "It seems that way, but we can have Niketas run a background check on them and then we will know for certain if they are really your brother and sister and if Ian Evans is your father. I don't see any reason why they would not be, but this way we'll be able to find out for _sure_," she explained as Atoli chewed on her bottom lip nervously. Silence lingered for several long second before she could say more.

"Do you think they would actually want to see me?" Atoli asked looked up into the compassionate eyes of her Epitaph. Innis gave here gentle smile and nodded in confirmation.

"Kisho and Ren set those traces and sent out that program for a reason Atoli. They don't just want to see you... they've been _searching_ for you and I think Dr. Evans has been as well. I think they've been looking for you for a very, _very_ long time," Innis said softly.

Atoli sucked in a breath and then swallowed hard. Closing her eyes she fought to make sense of all this information.

"My family... my real family is here? They've really been _looking_ for me all this time?" Atoli asked desperate for it to be true. Slowly Innis reached out and embraced her, pulling her into a warm, tight hug.

"I know how hard this is to accept at the moment, but believe me if this is your real family than I will do whatever I can to get you in contact with them again. I promise you Chigusa. I won't let you down," Innis vowed as Atoli wrapped her arms around her Epitaph. The weight of the information she had just received came crashing down on her.

She was adopted, her real father missed her and she had a brother and sister who were searching for her. After years of being alone and put down she learned that she had another family... a _real_ family... and they missed her.

Slowly her shoulders shook as she started crying, not from anger, but from relief. _Her family wanted her! _

Atoli clung tightly to Innis as she started to sob uncontrollably. There was nothing to say and she didn't have the words to describe how she felt, but Innis was her Epitaph, her Avatar, her most trusted partner. She understood everything her young User couldn't say.

"Oh, Chigusa I know your relieved and scared of what they'll think of you, but no matter what I'll always be here for you. No one is ever going to keep me away from you. Even if things don't turn out the way you want I'll still be right here... always," Innis said as she softly stroked the girls hair. "Me, Ryou, and Skeith are your family as well. So don't cry... because you're never truly alone as long as you have us here with you."

_Thank you Innis... you can't imagine how much those words mean to me, _Atoli thought even as she continued to cry, but Innis did understand and merely smiled as she held onto her. Like a mother embracing their child.

* * *

**AN:** And here we go with the next chapter! I was in a panic this week because I wanted to get this chapter up, but our internet was down and I'm leaving today (Saturday) for North Carolina to visit some friends and won't be able to update for over a week.

Thankfully our internet is working properly again and here you go with another chapter of Shattered Mirror! I hope it's not as "dull" as the last update was.

I'm trying to get to 50 chapters total and end the story there before moving into the sequel. So let's all aim for that goal shall we?

Meanwhile, if you ever want to talk to me then I have an account on Twitter that all of you can check out! I also have a blog up on Blogger and there will be links to that as well as my other accounts on my profile. You can follow my blog if you have a Google, Twitter, or Yahoo account. No need to be a member of the website itself! So please follow me? Please? I'm trying to build up more readers.

End plug.

There you go I hope you enjoyed it and next chapter we have more Ren and Kisho goodness for all of you! Will they get a chance to see Chigusa after years of searching for her? Hmmm, maybe!

Please review everyone!


	43. What Have You Been Up To?

Time-line Update: Thursday night, December 5th to friday morning December 6th

Chapter 43: What Have You Been Up To?

* * *

Chigusa sat fidgeting nervously as she sat in the chair. Behind the desk in front of her sat Niketas who had his hands clasped together as he listened to her. Innis had contacted him and told him everything about her supposed father, sister, and brother. Throughout it all the Russian had sat quietly listening as the Avatar explained how she had found the adoption records, been followed by the tracing program, and then gone to the online cafe and met with Ren and Kisho.

Things had settled down a little bit now and Pi had verified Kite and Blackrose's story with Zelkova himself. Kuhn and Magus were taking care of Azure Flame Kite and determining just what had happened during the fight and if his data had been compromised. Abtrunniger was watching over the Outer Dungeon as usual and Dendeira was in the area where they had picked up Azure Kite, the real Kite, and Blackrose. She was scanning the data for any information that might give them a lead on Aihane. Rhodesia had been at the hospital with Kaoru, but was probably back by now.

Glancing over to her right she looked at Ryou who had also been present as Innis gave her explanation. So far he hadn't said anything and it was starting to make her nervous. Was he just absorbing all of this information? Was he angry at her or Innis for not saying anything sooner?

When his eyes flicked over to meet her's, Chigusa flushed and quickly turned away. Her fingers played with the sling her left arm was in. The pain medication had been discontinued in favor of low dose pain killers whenever the pain grew too much for her. From the corner of her gaze she saw Ryou smirk at her and she rapidly turned an even darker shade of red at his attention.

"It's nice to know about this."

Chigusa frowned slightly and turned back to Ryou curiously.

"It's good to know that a jerk like that wasn't your real father," he said quietly as Niketas straightened up and went to his keyboard. Ryou narrowed his eyes slightly at the man. "What are you doing? Is this her real family or not?" he asked with a slight edge to his voice. Niketas merely gave him a look and proceeded to ignore the inquiry and continue typing.

After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, he swiveled his chair back so that he was facing them. A printer off in the corner started up and began churning out sheets of paper. "I've printed out the backgrounds and professional certification for Ren and Kisho Evans. This includes their family history as well since all of this information is required before they can be approved as hackers for the Network Administration Bureau. I've sent out an inquiry for Ian Evans as well," Niketas commented as the printer finished its work. Pushing back from the desk he stood up and walked over to the machine. Grabbing the stack of papers he separated them and put a clip on the top of each one. Heading back to his desk he sat down and flipped through them, occasionally looking back up at his computer.

"Akina Ren Evans and Kisho Yasuo Evans; twins. Age 27. Birthplace: Okinawa, Japan," Niketas read off. "Father... an American by the name of Ian Evans. Mother is a Japanese woman by the name of Suika Evans. Suika Yakamori is the maiden name. One sibling..." at this he paused to look at Chigusa. "According to this birth date she would now be... 17 years old," he offered as he leaned over. Opening a drawer he flipped through some folders before pulling a couple out and tossing them on the desk. Pulling one out from under the other two he shifted forward and handed it to them. Chigusa hesitated before taking it with her right hand.

"Those would be your adoption records. Rhodesia had them pulled when you first agreed to continue working with CC Corp. Required for all NAB employees you know," Niketas said and motioned towards the folders on his desk. "Still working on making that official and creating profiles for you, but we've had a few interruptions so you can't really blame us," he added with a smile before getting back to the matter at hand. "Now then, the name on those records in your hand... the ones that show your real parents, relatives, family medical history, and siblings reads... Narina Evangeline Evans... biological daughter of Ian and Suika Evans. Siblings are Ren and Kisho," Niketas paused for a moment as Chigusa took a sharp breath upon hearing that name... her real name.

"Unless you would like a DNA test or something for hardcore evidence then there's really no need to discuss this matter further. Ian Evans is indeed your real father while Kisho and Ren are your brother and sister. All of them have been looking for you for a very long time; years I expect," he said with a note of finality as Ryou reached over and picked up the other two folders. Inside was a picture along with the qualifications and professional hackers certification. For a moment he stared at it before putting an arm around Chigusa. Reaching over he showed the pictures to her. Shoulders tensing she hesitated and rubbed her hand on her legs. She chewed on her lower lip nervously before shifting closer so that she could look at them.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared down at the pictures. "This... this is them? This is my brother and sister?" she asked softly as Ryou rubbed her back to help comfort her. Looking back up at Niketas she saw him nod and then turned back to the pictures. For a moment it looked as if he was going to say something else, but at the last moment he refrained and merely leaned back in his chair. The smirk playing across his lips clearly showed that he was up to something though.

"Is that enough for tonight? I know you have a lot to think about so perhaps it would be best for you both to retire to your rooms for the night. Time is short for all of us and we need to rest whenever we can seeing as Aihane doesn't plan or letting up anytime soon. Besides I have other work to attend to," Niketas offered before swiveling his chair around in a clear sign of dismissal.

Ryou frowned that that rather cold act, but looked over at the shock still on Chigusa's face and decided to just let it go. "He's got a point. Lets get back and find our rooms here," he said gently squeezing her shoulder. Jumping slightly in surprise she looked up at him and then down at the folders in her hands.

Several uncomfortable seconds passed before she nodded slowly and tried to stand. Quickly leaning over, Ryou took the folders from her and helped her out of the chair. Turning around she addressed Niketas, "Thank you very much for all of your help," Chigusa said in a strange tone of voice. Frowning Ryou peered closer and decided that she was still shaken from all of this information.

_Innis says that she's just overwhelmed right now. She needs time to think this over and more than anything get some rest... that goes for you too brat,_ Skeith suddenly interrupted and he could feel himself calming down, much to his consternation. Stupid Avatar was_ forcing _him to relax.

_Stop doing that! And I don't want to sleep I want to talk this over with Chigusa first, _Ryou firmly objected, but the First Phase was having none of it.

_You're going to get some sleep if I have to drop you where you stand, _Skeith added smugly and he knew that his partner was more than capable of doing so. Twitching at that he prepared to fire back when the Epitaph spoke again. _Besides this is something she wants to talk about with Innis rather than you. However, you could step up, be the man and let her know that you're not taking no for an answer, _he added.

Ryou pursed his lips. _Since when were you the love doctor? Just let me handle this,_ he shot back as they headed towards the elevators. Plenty of employees were still wandering around. It wasn't that late yet so he wasn't very surprised.

It wasn't until they got to the elevators that he snapped out of his daze and realized that he had been walking without having the slightest idea of where their rooms even were. He was staying by himself, but Rhodesia had insisted that Chigusa room with her.

_I pulled up the floor map and found your rooms earlier. I'll get you there in no time,_ Skeith assured as the elevator doors opened and they stepped in. Without thinking Ryou pushed the button that would take them up to the second floor. _All the Epitaph Users are closer to the ground for protection, but not underground because everything down there get's sealed off in the event that they need to lock the building down for some reason,_ the Phase added as they rode smoothly up to the next level.

That made sense. This building was secure and essentially hidden in plain sight. Just another ordinary office in the sprawling mega city of Tokyo. However, that didn't mean Aihane wouldn't find them eventually. Better to be safe then sorry.

Next to him Chigusa was quietly chewing on her thumbnail; her eyes pinched together in thought. When the elevator halted and the doors opened with a small chime she didn't bother looking up but just stepped out and walked beside Ryou as they headed down the quiet, softly lit hallway. It reminded him of some posh, super expensive hotel. Their rooms were across the hallway from each other and just a few meters away from the stairs.

"Well here we are. Suite 206 and 205," Ryou said and Chigusa started and looked up.

"Oh... oh right. Um... Innis said that Rhodesia came back so she should be here already," she said in a distracted manner as the small light on the door turned green and it clicked open softly. Probably due to Innis efforts. Turning around she looked down at the folders still in Ryou's hands. Taking the hint he handed them over and she smiled slightly and took them with her good hand.

"Sorry for being so out of it... this is just... so much to think about. I mean... first I learn that I'm adopted and now I learn that my real family has been in Japan the whole time?" she stopped and shook her head before looking back up at him. "I'll be okay. I just need to talk with Innis about this for awhile," she stated trying to feign an air of confidence. Mentally Ryou swore at Skeith for being right about this. The Avatar's only response was a roar of laughter as a frown spread across his face. Chigusa noticed her boyfriend's face and her expression turned to one of worry.

There was a moment of silence before Ryou took deep breath and then let it out slowly.

"No."

Chigusa's eyebrows shot up at that simple word. "No? What do you mean, _no_?" she asked and he knew that she wasn't entirely okay with that word.

Quickly Ryou cleared the air. "I know you would feel more comfortable talking to Innis about this..." he agreed, "but I'm your boyfriend and I deserve to be a part of this. I know how weird this must sound coming from me, but if we're going to make this relationship work then we have to communicate. I want you to be able to feel comfortable talking to me about stuff like this," he said with the utmost seriousness. Unconsciously he crossed his arms defensively. That gesture did not go unnoticed and she glanced down at his arms before looking back up to his eyes. After a moment she nodded slowly in agreement.

"Okay. Let's go inside and talk. I'm sure Rhodesia will be too busy working still to mind us being there," Chigusa said stepping back slightly. Reaching past her Ryou pulled the door open and followed her inside. Right away he was shocked at how _huge_ it was. Three or four of his apartments could probably fit in here. It was larger by several scales then anything else you would typically find in Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan for that matter. The kitchen alone was nearly half the size of his old apartment.

The refrigerator door was open and after a moment Rhodesia popped out from behind it with a cup in one hand and a rather large container of sake in the other. Surprised she straightened up and slammed the door shut with an elbow.

"Made it here okay I see you have. Been long day for all us it has," she said, barely managing to stifle a yawn. "Going to drink and unwind some I will. Stay up late don't you because much to do is there," she added as a gentle, but firm reminder before nodding to them and heading back into what looked like a bedroom. Moments later the muffled sounds of a TV playing drifted towards them.

Chigusa stared after her for a moment before turning back to her boyfriend. "Why don't we sit on the couch and talk?" she offered motioning towards a leather sectional sitting in front of a large screen TV. Ryou nodded and followed as she walked over and took a seat down on the large couch. Putting the folders in her lap she opened the first and stared at the picture once again. Sliding closer, he put his arm around her and made a slight face.

"Are you sure that's a _guy_?" Ryou questioned uneasily upon seeing the rather androgynous male face staring back at him. Chuckling at that Chigusa turned to him. "Be nice. He is my older brother after all," she said watching with great amusement as he pulled back with narrowed eyes. Laughing at his reaction she curled closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder comfortably as she flipped through the rest of the information on him. Shifting his position slightly, he rubbed her still injured shoulder as she continued.

"Looks like Kisho and..." Chigusa paused and fumbled for a moment before finding the name, "Ren... are certified hackers for the NAB. They also own a small shop over in Akihabara. They're known online as the Tsuin Kobura, or Twin Cobras," she read off the paper.

Leaning closer Ryou looked through the rest of the paragraph. "Each certified hacker has a special symbol and the twin cobra silhouette is the one these two hackers have chosen. Feared by governments and criminal organizations alike Kisho and Ren are ranked among the best hackers in the world and have never failed to complete an assignment. They are rumored to know or have been trained by the legendary Helba and when their skills are put together, they are certainly capable of surpassing her skills," he read out. _Now _he was impressed. Everyone knew about Helba, Queen of the Dark, and anyone who could stand equal to her was worthy of admiration.

Skeith however was less confident. _They said that it'__s a rumor, brat. That means they aren't sure. Besides, Helba hasn't been on the scene for years now and no one knows what happend to her in real life so comparing someone's skills to her's isnt't really that accurate of a measuring line. They may be good, but as good as Helba? That's debatable. Especially considering that the level of technology doubles every two years and she's been gone at least that long, _he observed cynically. Unable to refute that logic, Ryou just shruged as his Avatar continued.

_Anyway, I just ran through Niketas' computer files and it looks like he's been keeping tabs and sending emails back and forth to Rhodesia about them. He's planning something and I'll bet my scythe that he's been planning on bringing them onto Project G.U. for a while time now, _he said sounding very sure of himself. Ryou thanked his Avatar, but didn't say anything aloud. No need for Chigusa to know about that just yet.

Moving the folder over, Chigusa pulled out the other one and opened it up to show a woman with striking blue hair, several piercings, and a spiked dog collar as well.

"Prefers to go by her middle name and is very blunt and tactless. Refuses to work with anyone other than her twin brother whom she has been living with for several years," she paused for a moment and took a deep breath before finishing, "A confirmed paranoid schizophrenic she has been on a medication regimen for a significant period of time now and this mental illness has not severely impacted her abilities as a hacker. The NAB's movement to suspend her hackers certification was dropped as a result." Chigusa fell silent as her fingers ran over the picture.

That statement brought on a long moment of silence.

Breathing in deeply Chigusa let it out slowly before asking, "Do you think I'll get the chance to meet them? Skeith told Innis that Niketas has been looking at their information and talking to Rhodesia about them. They both think that he might be planning on bringing them in to help us fight Aihane." She looked up at him and waited for a response. Ryou inwardly cursed his Avatar for not being able to keep his mouth shut and then thought about that for a moment. He shrugged uncertainly.

"We'll just have to wait and see, but I certainly wouldn't put it past him," he admitted. That it was just the kind of thing the Russian man would pull out on them without the slightest hint beforehand. Rhodesia was more likely to let them know and get all of their opinions on the matter.

"Do you _want_ to see them? They _have_ been looking for you," Ryou asked quietly.

Chewing on her lower lip, Chigusa looked away and closed the folder. "I... I don't know. I mean sure I want to see them, but... but what if they don't like me? What if I'm not what they expected? What if..." Quickly he cut her off before his girlfriend could think of another means of making lowering her self-esteem.

"What if your wrong and they love you just the way you are? Seriously, Chigusa you are going to worry yourself to death like this. Just stop thinking about stuff like that. They've been looking for their little sister for who knows how long. The fact that they finally managed to _find_ you is the only thing they are going to be focusing on," Ryou said firmly and in such a way as to leave no room for discussion. The smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth showed that he had said the right thing.

Movement from the kitchen made him glance over and Ryou saw Rhodesia rummaging around for another bottle of sake. Noticing his look she sent a pointed look over to the clock to let him know it was time to get going. Accepting the hint he reluctantly pulled his arm back from around his girlfriend's shoulders and moved to stand up.

"I think I'd better get going. It's not like any of us have gotten much sleep with everything that's happened lately and Skeith is getting more and more impatient," he said with a slight sigh as the Avatar mumbled that he was _not _'impatient'. Chigusa would have said more but was cut off by a sudden yawn, which was very cute by the way.

Smirking at her reaction, Ryou's smug expression grew bigger when his girlfriend blushed and hastily put the folders aside on the coffee table. Helping her up he made sure she didn't trip on anything as they headed back to the door; she was still unsteady on her feet. When they got there he leaned against it for a moment and cocked his head slightly, admiring her... and how easily she blushed when caught under his gaze.

"What?" Chigusa demanded when he continued to stare at her.

Shaking his head slightly, Ryou decided to just enjoy the moment. Peaceful times like this were already few and far between and that wasn't going to be improving anytime soon. He was tired of holding back his feelings out of fear of being rejected. He was a changed man and wasn't going to let a good opportunity pass him by again. Judging from the look on her face she was thinking the same thing.

Hesitating for a moment she took a deep breath before reaching up slightly and kissing him slowly. Ryou slid an arm around her tightly. After a tender moment he reluctantly pulled back and brushed her hair back. Beautiful was the only word that came to mind.

_And she's mine, allllll mine, _Skeith's voice helpfully provided with an amused laugh. Ryou couldn't help the smile of satisfaction that came across him as he mentally agreed with that statement. He really was the most fortunate guy in the world to have someone like Chigusa as his girlfriend and he was never going to forget that either.

Her eyes met his and she smiled back and leaned in closer. "I love you, Ryou," she murmured in his ear before settling back on her feet. He twisted a lock of her hair around his finger before responding by placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I love you too, Chigusa. Good night," Ryou replied before reluctantly pulling away from her and heading back out into the hallway. A soft "see you tomorrow" met his ears before the door clicked shut.

Oh, yes, he was definitely the happiest guy in the world right now.

* * *

Masato groaned and gripped his hair tightly as the noise grew louder. It hummed loudly in his ears before fading away along with the sound of footsteps. Being surrounded by all of this technology had brought on his headaches and vertigo once again, but there was something else that refused to be ignored. It was a quiet, urgent need that was growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment. It had started just a couple hours ago and was getting worse and worse the more he sat here. Nurses and doctors had been in and out, but no one had been able to provide an explanation as to why this was happening. Not that he needed any explanation from them, he knew exactly what was happening.

_Corbenik is calling me, _Masato realized with a gasp as the insistent gnawing pulled at him and demanded action. The Epitaph was drawing him, but why _now_? Why not before? It had been months since he had been separated from his Avatar. Something must have changed, but what? What could have happened so suddenly for this feeling to start building up within him?

One thing made him wonder, though. Was Corbenik actively calling him? Or were his latent systems and their bond as Avatar and Epitaph User bringing them back together again?

Masato wasn't sure but he did know one thing. _I can't take this much longer, _he thought with a groan as another wave of the same insistent need burst over him and made him shudder from the effort of just staying put in his hospital bed. This couldn't go on for much longer. He needed to get out of here and find his missing partner.

_Corbenik is out there somewhere and he's searching for me or his data is calling out to me. Either way something new is happening and I have to go and find him before this drives me completely insane, _Masato thought as he rolled over and sat up. Sitting still he waited for the wave of nausea to pass before standing up. Slowly making his way around the room, Masato walked towards the door and carefully looked out. Thankfully it was now 3:30am on Friday morning. Both he and Shino were scheduled to be released back into the custody of the NAB today, but he couldn't wait for that. He needed to get out of here _now_.

The early morning meant that there was barely even a skeleton crew around. The nurse was too busy texting on his phone to notice anything else and the security guard sitting outside of the locked glass door was not going to be waking up anytime soon judging from how loudly he was snoring.

Relieved Masato shuffled out towards the Nurse's station. The guy sitting there had his back to him and was hunched over his smart phone. Reaching over the counter he grabbed a security card that was sitting there and placed it directly over a small pad. A small _ding_ sounded as a green light over the door flashed showed that it was now unlocked. Silently it whooshed aside and sat there wide open for anyone to walk through. Having heard the sound more times then he could probably count the nurse didn't even bother to look up, but just kept on tapping away at his phone.

Hurrying as fast as he could despite his slight dizziness, Masato slid through the door just as it started to close. The security guard snorted and shifted position, but he wasn't going to stand around and wait to see if the guy woke up. Sliding around the corner he looked around for some different clothes. If he kept walking around dressed only in this hospital gown and boxers then it would only be a matter of time before he was caught and placed back in the psychiatry ward and kept there for several more days.

Moving swiftly through the hallway, Masato looked around until he saw an employee lounge off to the left. Looking over his shoulder he moved towards it only to find that it was locked. Perfect. Gritting his teeth, he scanned the hallway once again and saw a janitor's closet that was cracked open.

Footsteps sounded down at the other end of the corridor and Masato quickly hurried to the closet and looked inside to make sure that it was really empty before sliding in and shutting the door behind him. Just as he figured it was filled with equipment but also a spare pair of clothes. They were stained with paint, but otherwise appeared to be clean.

Shedding his hospital gown, Masato tossed it in a nearby trash can before pulling on the striped shirt and jeans. It took some work to finally get the pants on right as they were several sizes too small for his tall frame, but he managed after a minute or so of struggling. Feeling much better he grabbed a hat and put it on. Pulling it down over his eyes he grabbed a large industrial mop and yellow bucket so that he would have some kind of excuse should someone stop him.

Taking a deep breath he opened the door and almost immediately ran into a worker in medical scrubs. They seemed surprised but then looked at the mop in his hand and smiled easily.

"Sorry about that. No rest for the wicked hunh?" the guy said before apologizing again and hurrying on his way. Masato watched him go before realizing that he didn't even know which way to go. He knew which floor and room Shino was in, but how to get there was another matter. After wandering around rather stupidly for nearly 10 minutes he finally found the elevators and made his way to the right floor.

Following the signs he made his way around the floor and over to her room. Like most of the other rooms the door was closed for the night so that everyone could sleep as peacefully as possible in this cold dreary setting. Casting a quick glance around to make sure he wasn't being observed, Masato opened the door wide enough for him and the mop bucket to get inside before shutting it as quickly as he could.

As expected Shino was fast asleep with her back turned towards him. He would have gone over to her, but winced when a wave of nausea slammed into him and made him double over. Being around all of this technology was still affecting him. It was taking up too much time, time he didn't have.

"Mmm, who's there?" Shino's sleepy voice mumbled as the bed shifted loudly.

Cursing his weak state, Masato took a deep breath and forced himself to stand back up straight. The accompanying dizziness nearly had him throwing his dinner up all over the floor. Groaning to himself he lifted his head and managed to remove his hat so that she could see who he was. A gasp showed that she recognized him.

"Oh my gosh! Masato what are you doing here?" Shino's hushed voice demanded as she got out of her bed and rushed to help him. Evidently she was now wide awake and took in his attire with a quick glance. She easily figured out what was going on and pursed her lips as she looked back towards the door. "You snuck out didn't you?" she whispered with a hint of worry as she saw how bad he looked.

"Come on you need to sit own..." she started to say, but he cut her off with a shake of his head.

"No. We have to leave, we have to... to get out of here," Masato interrupted as he closed his eyes to fight off the nausea and dizziness. "Corbenik... Corbenik is out there somewhere. I have to go to him... I have to... I have to..." he stopped as the room tilted around him and he lost his balance.

"Whoa! Easy there!" Shino said as she reached out and put her arms around him to keep him standing. "Don't worry we'll find him," she said reassuringly.

Angrily he shook his head at that. "Now. I have to go _now,_" he countered firmly as the insistent feeling continued to pull at him. "Something's changed... it doesn't make sense for this to be happening. It's like just like when I was infected by Tri-Edge. I can feel Corbenik again, but there's... something else there... an AIDA maybe..." Masato stopped and put a hand to his head. "Ugh, it's so hard to... to _think _here," he said wearily.

Shino's eyes softened and she set her jaw with determination. "Don't worry about that. Just... um.. let me change into my other clothes and we can get find a way out of this town," she hesitated for a moment when as she remembered that she was still in her hospital gown. The clothes she had come here in had been cleaned, placed in a bag, and put in the bottom drawer of the small table next to the window.

_Just hold on a little while longer Corbenik... I'm coming for you._ He nodded at Shino's words as his head continued to pound.

* * *

Black AIDA dots swarmed through the area scanning the area quickly before removing itself from it and switching to a different area. It had come to The World and was now searching through every one by one to try and find its counterpart.

"Hey! That's AIDA isn't it? I thought they were all gone!"

"That's the virus that put so many people into coma's. Let's get out of here!"

Ignoring the humans who fled into the next room upon seeing it's presence, the AIDA spread out like oil across the floor and walls of the shrine dungeon. Data symbols and numbers appeared on the walls, floor, and ceiling as the information was scanned. The graphics hitched as the AIDA found an anomaly and opened it.

Just another item.

A loud hiss echoed through the large room and the black dots roiled with anger as they came together and took the shape of a lithe black feline. It's eyes were solid pink and it snarled and let out a roar that shook the walls. Whipping around it tore its claws down across the walls, leaving deep, jagged scars.

"Why so upset Panthera? That's not going to help you find your Epitaph any sooner."

The black panther AIDA looked up to see an elegant crimson and black phoenix resting there on top of the Beast Statue.

"Ceren..."

"Don't growl my name out like that. If you're really serious about finding Macha then you need to keep moving, not sit around here using the nicely designed scenery as your scratching post," the phoenix chided as the flames on its wings and running down her back waved and crackled in the ensuing silence.

Panthera sniffed and flexed her own claws.

"This is _my_ business, Ceren. Macha _needs_ my power back if she is to survive and I _must _give it to her otherwise my own body will continue to degenerate," she rumbled sitting back and looking down at her stomach. There was a patch of raw data there and it was rapidly spreading. Back before Tri-Edge was destroyed she had infected the Epitaph known as Macha and the PC known as Endrance. Aside from Tri-Edge itself no one other AIDA had spent so much time attached to a Phase. What that ultimately meant was that everything that effected The Temptress was mirrored in Panthera's data.

The panther stalked back and forth angrily. "She must have been attacked by Xen. He's the only one who could cause a regression and decay like this. The problem now is where to find her," Panthera thought aloud as she stopped and forced herself to calm down.

Ceren hummed at that and fluttered her wings. "They are trying to hide from Aihane, from the public, from other A.I.'s, from AIDA such as ourselves and basically everyone and anyone you can think of. You couldn't have expected this to be _easy_," she said taking to the air and gently drifting down to land in front of her companion.

Narrowing her pink eyes, Panthera eyed the phoenix suspiciously. "Why are you even here? You don't like fighting and have already refused to get involved in this war. So why are you coming with me? What purpose does it serve?" she questioned.

Ceren stared back evenly for a moment before looking away after a brief moment. "This power is not ours but belongs back in the hands of the Epitaph's. I wish only to join myself back to Tarvos and to keep you from getting yourself deleted. I will not fight unless it is to defend you or myself from death. I abhor violence. AIDA does not exist to hurt others," she calmly recited.

Panthera sighed and shook her head. "Fine. Stick to your ideals. Let's just hope you don't end up eating them. Let's split up for now. We'll rendezvous in Dol Donna in three standard hours," she growled before dissolving back into black dots and slowly winking out.

"As you wish, Panthera. Don't let your eagerness to find Macha get you into trouble," Ceren muttered to herself before doing the same thing.

* * *

**AN:** I'M SO SORRY! Oh my lord I didn't mean to take nearly this long! I had a case of writer's block and then got hung up with some business elsewhere online. Now my mom is having some trouble and has taken medical leave from work so I've been very distracted.

Still I made this chapter longer then I would have normally, put in tons of fluff between Chigusa and Ryou, and even threw in two more of the Eight AIDA for you to chew on!

Even so I'm sorry for taking so long. One of my readers even went on Twitter to ask me when this chapter was coming up.

Back to the chapter though...

Chigusa and Ryou now know more about her real family and will indeed be meeting them very soon (next chapter perhaps? Let's wait and see!). Masato is up and about, but something is up with him and Corbenik. Could it have to do with the Eight Phase sharing/feeding his junk data to Xen? Now he and Shino are getting ready to break out and go on the run. This is not going to reflect well on their police records...

Then we have Panthera and Ceren. These two AIDA correspond to Macha and Tarvos respectively and both are out to find the Epitaph they correspond to.

The final battle of this first section is fast approaching! Niketas and Rhodesia are rounding up more people to help them out while Aihane himself is making his own moves. Corbenik is plotting with Xen and Macha is still out of commission.

Thank you for reading and please review! I've also posted some rather important information on my forum as well so please go and check it out! Feel free to post your own comments as well if you have thoughts about the chapter or questions that you've been dying to ask me!

Until next time my dear readers!


	44. Preparations

Time-line Update: Sunday, December 8th

Chapter 44: Preparations

* * *

Kisho's body was tense with fearful anticipation. Was Niketas telling them the truth? Was Narina really here? Here in this building right now? Was it even possible for a coincidence of this magnitude to happen? Beside him Ren's eyes widened and then hardened with anger.

Slamming her hands down on the table she jumped to her feet, eyes flashing dangerously. "Don't you _dare _joke about something like that! Do you even know how long we've been searching for our little sister? That's too cruel a joke even for _you _Niketas," she snarled out furiously. Putting a hand on his twin's arm Kisho leaned forward.

"Are you serious? Our little sister is actually the Epitaph User who commands Innis? She's been working for you these past months?" he asked trying his best to keep the ever so slight tremble out of his voice. After all this time searching he wasn't going to allow himself to hope just yet. Not until she was standing there right in front of their eyes. Ren glanced back at him but then went back to glaring at Niketas.

The NAB Ambassador crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "I swear on my Russian heritage that I am telling you the truth. Your sister is here in this building as we speak. My people have confirmed through legal papers and medical records that you are indeed related to her. The divorce your parents went through, the separation and move to Japan, the subsequent release of... Narina... into state custody when it was determined your mother was an unfit parent... and the subsequent adoption that happened. The circumstances all match up. The girl now working for the NAB is most certainly the little sister you have been searching for," Niketas confirmed with them as his blue eyes switched back and forth between the two.

"Innis was searching through her User's medical history when she found the adoption records and realized that she was being followed by a tracing program you had left there. She followed up on it when you contacted her to see if perhaps you were the siblings mentioned in those adoptions records and since I already had a meeting with you coming up I thought I would take the opportunity to educate you on this development," Niketas added as he uncrossed his arms and taped the folder on the desk in front of him.

"Your credentials are more than adequate so I would definitely like to bring you onto Project G.U. to utilize your hacking skills against Aihane. Besides, your sister is now under Rhodesia's charge and you would need either her or my permission to see her anyway. So this assignment is mutually beneficial," he continued persuasively.

Ren was still bristling and clearly defensive. She was a rather paranoid person anyway and no doubt felt that they were being tricked. Kisho felt the same. Niketas was infamous for maneuvering and manipulating others, but always to the benefit of the NAB... and himself naturally.

"Still you could have provided some small amount of warning before we came here. We would have been more than willing to help even if you weren't hanging this threat over our heads," Kisho stated with a hard edge to his voice. Whipping her head around Ren gave him a "speak for yourself" glare.

Raising an eyebrow curiously, Niketas shrugged innocently. "Threat? This is _hardly_ a threat. What kind of man do you take me for? I am merely looking at things from the most logical standpoint. Besides I have better things to do then threaten an innocent young lady," he said. The frown that crossed his lips at the end of his sentence showed that he was genuinely displeased by the implication they were putting before him. The Russian government official was rather shady at times, but he would never stoop to those kinds of threats the way other NAB officials did. The very thought was clearly insulting to him.

Unconcerned for the man's feelings Ren rolled her eyes. "I have about as much faith in you as I do the cab drivers around here," she grumbled and finally sat back down in her chair. Kisho twisted a strand of hair around his finger silently.

Dismissing her comment with a wave of his hand, Niketas continued. "Details, details. Do you accept or not? You'll have to close down your shop and move in here permanently, but your new accommodations and increased pay rate should more than make up for that," he paused for a moment and let the silence stretch on for a moment before adding, "Not to mention the way I've helped _manage _the situation as far as your younger sister is concerned."

Shutting her mouth, Ren settled back in her chair and crossed her arms defiantly. She looked over at Kisho who glanced over and shrugged. Turning back to Niketas, he ran a hand through his black and red hair as he considered the matter.

Leaning forward Ren narrowed her eyes as she gave him an ultimatum. "Give us _proof_ first. If you expect us to believe that our younger sister is here then you're going to have to let us meet her face to face and talk to her before we decide whether or not to take on this assignment as hackers," she determined. Kisho closed his eyes and said nothing. That plan was fine by him.

A smirk crossed Niketa's lips and he picked up the phone on his desk. "Just let me make a call and we'll see what we can arrange."

* * *

Ryou nearly choked on his mouthful of noodles as Skeith relayed the words to him. Coughing heavily he pounded his chest and took a sip of his green tea before managing to swallow.

"They _what?_ What in the world is Niketas thinking _now_?" he demanded as his Avatar hummed ambivalently.

_Probably that we need to speed things along here and the sooner things happen the less headaches he'll have. Judging from the emails he and Rhodesia have been planning this meeting for a couple weeks and have been thinking about bringing Ren and Kisho on-board for months. Them being Chigusa's siblings only gives them... or rather him, more incentive to do so,_ Skeith said and then gave a pause that Ryou had come to recognize as his partner talking to someone online. _Innis says that Chigusa is totally freaking out. Might want to get over there before she implodes from all the worry she's undoubtedly putting herself through, _he added snidely.

_Oww! What was that for? I'm just stating the... well then do a better job of calming her down! She's your User not mine! Ouch! Hey! Back off... I'm warning you! _The Avatar's voice continued as he apparently argued with Innis.

Shutting out the voice of his partner Ryou shoved down the last of his soba and tea. He had no trouble imagining how worked up his girlfriend would be over this. No doubt she would be running through every possible way things could go wrong while Innis patiently and calmly tried to soothe her and bring the poor girl back to reality. Sighing heavily, Ryou got up from the table and put his dishes in the sink. Best to just hurry over to assure Chigusa that everything would be okay. She was probably a nervous wreck.

Skeith automatically dimmed the lights for him as he walked towards the door and grabbed his shoes. Crouching down he pulled them on and laced them up before standing and grabbing the door handle. Before he could even open the door it burst open to reveal a frantic Chigusa standing there.

"What am I supposed to do! There here _right now_! I'm not ready for this! I don't know if I'll ever be ready for this! How could Niketas just up and demand that I go down and say hello like it's the most natural thing in the world!" Chigusa blurted out as her tone went from panic clear across to anger. "Its only been a few days since I even found out I _had_ siblings and now they're here?" her voice shot up several octaves and came out as a rather upset squeak. Putting his hand on her shoulders, Ryou tried to calm her down before she really did fall to pieces.

"Just slow down and think about this for a moment okay?" he insisted as she chewed her bottom lip nervously. "Skeith and Innis have both confirmed that Niketas and Rhodesia have been planing this meeting for a long time, but she can't be there because she's taking care of... of Kaoru," Ryou hesitated at the mention of his friend. "Since both of them are here and they might be working with us then it makes sense for you to meet with them, but only if you're comfortable with it. No one said you had to treat them like family right away. Besides I'll be with you and so will Innis and Skeith. So there's nothing for you to worry about. You have all the support you need right here," he continued doing his best to comfort her.

Chigusa took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "But... but..." she objected hesitantly. "But... what if they don't... what if I'm not what they expected? I mean... they may be related to me, but in every other way these people are complete strangers," she said closing her eyes tightly. "I don't have any other family left and I... I just don't want them to be disappointed in me..." she whispered softly and he glanced down to see her hands shaking.

Gently he lifted her chin and stared her firmly in the eyes. "Look. I don't blame you for being scared, but I promise I'm gonna be right beside you the whole time and when they see you they'll be just as proud of you as I am," Ryou swore to her and was pleased to see a smile break out across her face. "See? You know I bet they're just as nervous as you are," he added as Chigusa started to calm down a bit.

"The last memories they have are most likely from when you were a baby or toddler at least. Then you were separated from them only to show up now, years later, when your 17 years old. I'll bet my bank account that both of them are thinking the same exact thing. How are you going to react? Will you accept them as your siblings or just see them as a pair of strangers? Will you even _want_ to get to know them? They have just as much to worry about here as you do," Ryou said to her pointedly.

Chigusa's eyes widened for a moment and she chewed on her thumbnail for a moment as an embarrassed look crawled across her face. "I... I never thought of it that way. Do you really think they'll be nervous?" she asked and Ryou took a deep breath and turned her around to face the door.

"Why don't you go meet them and find out?" he replied. Right away her body tensed up and she looked back at him in horror.

"But... but! I have to prepare myself first!" Chigusa squeaked out as she stood firm to keep him from pushing her towards the door.

Frowning deeply, he refused to give up and instead pushed her harder. "Stay here and you'll just find more reasons not to go," he shot back. She glared at him but couldn't dispute his statement. Ryou stared her down and saw her eyes unfocus slightly as Innis spoke to her.

"Okay... okay. It really isn't fair to keep them waiting like this is it?" Chigusa said and Ryou nodded affirmatively. Taking her hand gave her a cocky smirk and she gnawed on her lip one more time before nodding to herself one more time.

"Let's do this."

* * *

Kaoru jerked awake from his nightmare and Rhodesia was right there at his side to soothe him as his eyes darted from place to place; he didn't recognize where he was. He never did after these episodes.

"Macha... I can feel her body... bursting apart. The horrible ear piercing screech of that AIDA... it's tearing my precious Epitaph to pieces. Empty... dark... silence... the deafening silence. So... so quiet now, the emptiness," Kaoru mumbled as he grasped at her and gripped her arm tightly. Gently she put a hand to his forehead and could feel him burning up with fever again. Macha's warm, attentive presence was no longer there. The calm, haughty assurance and confidence had disappeared. Instead he woke up to a constant haze or found his arms and legs tied down from fits of rage he evidently couldn't remember having. Lost time, black outs, and an almost constant confusion with only occasional lucid moments.

CC Corp employees were working around the clock to repair Macha's data and the black outs had stopped. The clear-headed moments he had were getting longer thankfully enough, but the confusion and overall haze was still plaguing him.

Rhodesia slid her hand to his cheek as Kaoru closed his eyes. A shudder passed through his body and his arms moved restlessly. "Easy... easy. Okay it is. You're in hospital. Macha safe is," she said to reassure him. Just like she had each time before.

Kaoru's eyes opened and locked with hers, "Rhodesia? Safe... Macha is safe?" he rasped out. Rhodesia swallowed hard and nodded as she brushed his damp hair out of his eyes.

"She's just fine be doing. All other Epitaph's keeping good watch her on," she said. Looking up she checked his vitals and saw them start to come down as Kaoru relaxed. It took all of her willpower and strength to keep up her calm facade. Her heart ached for him. No matter what happened Kaoru just couldn't get a break. Because of his poor diet he was already distressingly thin and with him being hospitalized now there was the risk of him losing even _more_ weight if they couldn't get him to start eating soon. So far he had either been more or less comatose or too confused when he was awake to bother with food. Intravenous fluids and nutrients were a rather poor substitute.

Letting out a small breath, Kaoru stopped moving around. "Hospital... after... AIDA attack," he mumbled softly. After a moment he blinked and looked down to where his hand was still gripping her arm. Letting go of her, Kaoru's eyes stayed on her face as she wiped the sweat off his forehead. Hospitals were always keep cold, but he was constantly sweating.

"I've... been here... for a while?" he asked weakly. Rhodesia didn't answer for a moment as emotion welled up in her throat. After a moment she forced a smile to his face and replaced the dry cloth on his forehead with a slightly damp one.

"Not long. Just a few days," she replied quietly as Kaoru continued to watch her. This had happened every single time thus far but it still felt so strange. One moment he would be confused and then he would remember bits and pieces of what happened and ask her about it.

"You've been here... every day... every time I've woken up," he stated suddenly, surprising her.

Rhodesia was silent for a moment before asking, "Remember do you? Even a little?" He nodded slowly and looked around the room.

"Bits and pieces. A little more each time I wake up. It takes a couple minutes... but I'm remembering. I'm getting better... just like Macha," Kaoru said softly as he turned his head back to look at her.

Swallowing the lump of emotion in her throat, Rhodesia returned his questioning gaze. "Yes. Just like Macha. Slowly every day she get's better," she said truthfully.

Kaoru's gaze wavered slightly and he closed his eyes for a moment as he accepted that. A second later he opened them again, clearly tired. "You've got half the world at your fingertips... but you're always right at my side when I need you..." he said it so quietly that Rhodesia could barely hear him.

She smiled at that statement from him. "Shows what good friend I is," she replied picking up the phone and sending a message to the kitchen for some food.

Kaoru watched her lazily and waited until she put the phone down before adding, "Idiot," he quickly countered. "You've got the world at your fingertips... so why bother with someone like me?" he questioned as she adjusted the covers for him. Rhodesia thought for a moment and then smirked.

"Guess have terrible taste in men I do."

For a moment Kaoru just stared at her and then his body shook slightly as he laughed silently. A wry smile crossed his lips before disappearing just as quickly as it had been there.

"Macha is really okay?" He asked again and Rhodesia smiled and nodded.

"Watching CC Corp employees like hawk Magus is. Niketas not let anything to her happen," she confirmed, but the look on his face said that he wasn't convinced. "Promise. Nothing happen to her on my watch will," she added confidently.

Kaoru gave a small nod and closed his eyes. "I know... I trust you. All the Epitaphs do... you won't let us down," he added softly as Rhodesia gripped his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Fix this I will... not losing another Epitaph... not ever," she swore.

* * *

**AN:** So here is the latest chapter! I finally gave in to the pressure by a reviewers and my editor for my original story Black Sapphire over on Fiction Press. Chapters will be around 3 or 5 pages because that only takes me about two to four days instead of two weeks the way I've been doing it now.

If things work out then I'll be blasting these chapters out at record speed! If not... well then it doesn't work out and I go back to the old way. So we'll see what happens shall we?

But back to the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review and tell me what you liked, loved, or think I could improve on. All reviews are helpful!

Next chapter will be up ASAP!


	45. Twin Cobras

Time-line Update: Sunday Afternoon, December 8th

Chapter 45: Twin Cobra's

* * *

Niketas had told them to wait in this conference room and then vanished off to who knows where. Minutes had ticked by and then turned into nearly three hours as they waited for something to happen.

"Ugh! Enough already! Is she coming or is she not coming? I need some news or I'm going to go crazy!" Ren shouted as she paced around the room irritably.

"It's a little too late for that I'm afraid., Kisho stated just loud enough for her to hear. Then he smirked as he felt the burning heat of his twin's glare settle on him. She snarled something at him and then resumed walking.

The sound of her mumbling as well as that of her shuffling footsteps would have been more annoying if not for the ebook reader he always carried with him in his satchel; Ren insisted on calling it a "man purse". Either way it saved him during moments like this when waiting was inevitable. It was a convenient way to pass the time.

Ren glanced down at the bag which was now hanging off the side of his chair and sneered at him. "Did you really have to bring that _thing_ with you? Being in the same room with you and that makeup is embarrassing enough as it is," she commented as her fingers twitched uneasily. As usual she was teasing him to try and alleviate her own nerves.

Well if it would help calm his sister down then he didn't mind. Not that he ever really had a problem with it. It was one of the many ways they showed their love for one another.

Kisho watched as Ren took a couple more steps back and forth across by the table. Growing bored he reached down into his bag and pulled out a small mirror so he could check his makeup. No need to have it smudged before meeting his little sister. It was best to make as good of an impression as possible.

Sensing a set of eyes on him he looked up and cocked an eyebrow. "What now? Just go back to wearing out your little pathway in the carpet would you?" he said with a shooing motion.

However, Ren continued to look at him and her gaze went down the mirror in his hand and then to his face as he smoothed out his eyeshadow. Another second later she shook her head in apparent disbelief.

"You... are soooo ga..."

"Don't say it. You know how offensive that phrase is to some people," he cut her off before she could finish her sentence, however. With a roll of her eyes Ren pulled out a chair and then slumped down into it.

"You can't get upset when it's true, Mister Mom," she shot back.

In truth he had no problem whatsoever with her saying it since it _was_ in fact _true_, but there was no reason for her to get in the habit of saying it. Especially when she had the habit of saying _whatever_ came to mind _whenever _it came to mind. He had pulled her out of tight situations plenty of times before and had no desire to repeat the performance.

Kisho thought for a moment before smirking at her and saying, "You're just jealous because I'm prettier than you are."

Her mouth dropped open and then closed as she had nothing to say to that one. Satisfied at winning the argument and at his appearance, he put the mirror back and was about to go back to he ebook when a heavy and very irritated sigh suddenly gusted across his neck. Kisho frowned and looked up to see his sister leaning on the edge of the table inches away from him. He stared at her for a moment before going right back to his book. Best not to indulge her at moments like this.

"Well?"

Apparently she was not going to leave him alone, however. Letting out a small breath he slowly raised his head and patiently waited for her to get to the point. Seeing that he was paying attention now, Ren settled into the chair behind her and chewed on her fingernail nervously.

"When is she going to get here? I mean she _is _coming right?" she demanded. Once again her worries were getting the best of her. Shifting his gaze down he saw her hands starting to shake. Ren wasn't _not_ good in stressful situations and the idea of meeting her long lost sister was about as stressful as you could get.

Seeing how concerned she was, Kisho took pity on her. Reaching over he put his hand over her's and squeezed it tightly. "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be here any minute now," he said softly to reassure her. Gently he rubbed the back of her hand. Despite all the teasing and banter they did he really did love her. Seeing his twin upset like this always was always hard and he did whatever he could to help calm her down when this happened.

"Just give her a little time. This is a big step for her as well," Kisho added persuasively. Ren nodded slowly and then took a deep breath and leaned back in the plush office chair.

"Yeah... yeah you're right," she admitted. Lapsing into silence she waited patiently for close to five minutes... and then exploded into action once again. "Where in the world is she!" Jumping to her feet she resumed her pacing back and forth.

_Well so much for my pep talk,_ Kisho thought with a roll of his eyes as Ren continued to wear a path in the carpet.

There was a small click and both of them froze and turned towards the door. The handle turned down slowly and the door slowly swung open. Two teenagers were standing there. One was a slim girl with long black hair tied back in a ponytail. She had on a long sleeved shirt and skirt that flowed down to her knees. Standing beside and just behind her was a young man with brown hair dressed in a black and gray hoodie with dark pants.

A small gasp came from Ren, but Kisho didn't need to look over at her to know what she was thinking. Pushing the ebook reader away from him, Kisho swiveled his chair fully around and rose to his feet.

Right away the guy narrowed his eyes slightly. His hand went to her waist and he leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. After a moment he pushed her forward, earning a worried look from her. The guy smiled and nudged her forwards again this time getting her to take a couple steps closer to them before stopping again.

_Must be her boyfriend, _Kisho thought as he brushed a speck of lint off his pants. Before leaving Ren had tried to get him to 'tone down' his outfit. In return he had shot a pointed look towards her newly dyed blue hair, piercings, black studded boots, and her black "Who need aliens when you have me?" t-shirt. Then he proceeded to ignore her. His own black tank top, spiked gloves and black jeans, which came complete with more zippers than a clothing store, was positively tame by comparison.

Since she was so clearly hesitant that it only made sense for them to take the first step and break the ice. Kisho nodded slightly to Ren and she fell in at his side as they closed the distance separating them from their sister.

"Chigusa Kusaka is that right?" he asked as she cocked her head back to look up at him. She just over five feet tall and he just over six, so there was quite a difference in height between them.

"I'm Kisho and this is my twin Ren. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I can't begin to describe how long we've been waiting for this day," he said warmly and held his hand out to her. With a little effort he managed to soften his naturally deep voice so it, hopefully, wasn't quite so intimidating. Chigusa stared down at the proffered limb for a second before hesitantly reaching out and grasping it in a surprisingly firm grip.

Letting go, Kisho stepped aside so that Ren could come closer. Only thing was that she was too busy staring to notice. Kisho frowned and was about to give her a harsh nudge when his twin snapped out of it and flushed with fear and embarrassment.

"Sorry it's just... you look just like..." Ren hesitated at the word and then managed to get it out, "You look just like our mom," she said softly. Chigusa gasped and pulled her hand back suddenly her eyes going wide.

Kisho groaned inwardly. What did she have to go and say that for? That was a subject best left alone considering how the woman had abandoned them all. It was the guy next to her who rescued the conversation, however.

"Your mother must have been a beautiful woman then," he said easily. A blush flew up to Chigusa's cheeks and she looked back at him with a grateful smile. The exchange between them spoke volumes. Obviously they were in love. Shifting his attention back to them he bowed politely in typical Japanese fashion.

"My name is Ryou Misaki... I'm Chigusa's boyfriend," he said by way of introduction. After eyeing him for a moment, Ren brushed a lock of blue hair away as her eyes narrowed.

"So I guess _you're_ the one who's been taking care of my little sister in our absence, hunh?" Her voice was flat and carefully controlled.

Kisho knew that tone all too well. His twin did _not_ take well to sudden changes. The fact that she had suddenly been "forced" to meet her sister with no preparation beforehand was surely nerve wracking enough. Having a new person that she knew even _less_ about was not going to end well. At best she would just shut down and quite responding. At the worst she would freak out and start screaming and cursing before running out of the room in a panic the way she had last time a situation like this had presented itself.

"Why don't we sit down and talk some more? We have a lot of catching up to do," Kisho stated with a tiny smile as he motioned them towards the seats. Ren gave him a look and then fixed it on Ryou as he walked past and pulled the chair out for Chigusa before taking a seat himself. A quick step next to his twin had his hand on her arm. It wouldn't do any of them any good if Ren allowed herself to be stressed out like this. It was vital that she try to calm herself down and not let her paranoia get the best of her.

Since both of them spoke fluent English from all of their time in the United States, Kisho switched over to that for more privacy. "See? The guy's a gentleman. He seems good enough for now and no one's telling you to like him. You don't even have to acknowledge his presence. Just try to take it easy and remember that we're here for our little sister," he said softly.

Over at the table, Ryou was busy talking to Chigusa but he glanced up and clearly noticed them talking.

It wasn't cold but Ren rubbed arms anyway. Nodding slowly she took a deep breath and turned away. She pulled out a chair and sat down as Kisho pulled one up next to her. Under the table he took her hand and slid her fingers through his. Her shaking hands had gotten worse and were now trembling uncontrollably.

Time to move this conversation along. She had taken her medication earlier today so she was doing pretty well, but this was what she considered an extremely stressful environment so the cocktail of meds could only do so much.

Ren slumped back in her chair and stared down at the table as her face went cold. She was starting to shut down just as he expected. Not good but he had seen worse responses from her. When her eyes closed he could see her shoulders starting to shiver. Kisho noticed and his eyes softened with pity. Reaching across with his other hand he rubbed the back of his sister's hand to comfort her.

"Should I leave? I don't want to make you more uncomfortable," Ryou said abruptly. From the way he was looking at Chigusa he was clearly asking her if it was okay for him to do so.

Chigusa on the other hand clearly didn't like the idea of being left alone. Then she looked over at Ren and chewed on her thumb hesitantly as her eyes unfocused slightly. After a moment she blinked and turned back to her boyfriend.

"I'll be okay. Why don't you just wait outside for us?" she offered with a forced smile.

For a moment he stared at her suspiciously and then glanced over their way. Kisho met his gaze but said nothing.

Ryou pursed his lips slightly but nodded and stood up. "Just let me know whenever you're done. I'll be outside," he said before walking out.

* * *

Aihane watched with impassive eyes as the AIDA went through their performance drills; some willingly, some unwillingly. However, after the previous demonstration all of them were now fighting for their lives. Literally. Those who did not meet the hacker's expert standards were fed to Xen and Scorpius. No need to have them around wasting space on his locked computer systems as he could always find more of the AI's; they multiplied faster then he could capture them. Yet, despite their massive numbers they didn't slow down computer systems until they actually started _creating_ their own Avatar's and messing around with the data. That particular facet of their nature was still being explored.

Scorpius watched passively while Xen darted back and forth around him. Currently Gorre were resting while Corbenik and Fidchell fought wave after wave of AIDA. Since they were originally one connected being, the AIDA fragments were experts at coordinating attacks. Precision hitting and expert timing made for a deadly combination.

_Thousands upon thousands of AIDA all splitting and multiplying like so many bacteria. Their sheer numbers will tear the remaining Epitaphs to pieces. Especially since only Skeith, Innis, Magus, and Tarvos are left. All I need to do is keep them out of the way so that Scorpius can subdue the Terror of Death. Once that is done he can summon Aura and the AIDA will infect her and copy her abilities, _Aihane considered as he reviewed his plans.

Already he had Atlas and Kodachi, another of the Eight AIDA. They corresponded to Gorre and using Corbenik and Xen's abilities he would force them to combine into their final and complete form. Verreaux was still being hunted down. The bird AIDA had the eyes of an eagle and could see his moves almost before he made them. As long as Verreaux didn't interfere then he didn't mind if it took a while.

Once the fusion of Atlas and Kodachi to Hinote Gorre and Gorre Taiga was complete _then_ he would be ready to invade The World and flush the Epitaph Users out of hiding. One battle to capture Aura and then he would use one of his slave systems to bring her completely and totally under his control. Once that was done he could control and subtly manipulate military agency's, terrorist groups, governments, and entire countries. Network access meant everything these days. Richer countries with greater resources were always more powerful, but now that Africa had climbed out of its third world status it was climbing the ranks as more countries became more and more wealthy. People that had been dirt poor years ago were now being trained to operate machines and perform IT services.

Robotics facilities were springing up all over the once poor continent, fueling an economic boom and providing jobs not just to thousands, but to _millions _of people. That was just one tech industry, however. Rhodesia Kajongwe of the NAB was the perfect example of how young minds were being tapped for international jobs and national pride.

Of course China was the new world power now with Japan recovering and making up the second place on the list. Technology was the future and those countries that had rushed to make better and more efficient technologies and renewable power sources that could be employed in various facets of life had emerged victorious. The United States of America had been behind the curve due to great expense involved in transforming the entire country and the more sparsely populated western regions. Only now were they starting to catch up. It would take a lot more time, but in a couple more decades with their economy fully recovered they would be ready to step back onto the world stage as a major heavyweight.

Aihane swiveled his chair around and looked at the world map that completely covered one section of his massive home. China, Africa, and America were outlined in red, brown, and green respectively. Glancing over his shoulder he looked at the screen one more time to make sure the test was still going properly. It was so he turned back to the world map.

Fumbling around in his shirt pocket he pulled out a cigarette and pulled the tab at the end. It lit up with a satisfying red glow and he inhaled deeply before blowing out a cloud of smoke. A smoke break always helped calm him down.

_I've got robotics plants all over the coast and interior of Africa. I have construction robots all throughout Europe and China now has just as many machines as Japan. However, in a few years the economic state of America might prove more fruitful to my plans, _Aihane considered as a smile came to his lips.

_Just you wait Aura... soon... so very soon and you will be all mine. My AIDA are already taking over machines and robots all over the world where they can stay for years if necessary thanks to my slave systems,_ the rich computer hacker took a long drag on his cigarette and let the cloud of smoke fill the air in front of him.

A few weeks or a couple more days... it all depended on how well his AIDA performed during this current round of fighting. If he felt they were ready then he would be able to execute his plan by the end of this week.

* * *

**AN: **So here is the next chapter! Chigusa finally gets to meet her siblings and a little more about Aihane's plan as well. The world scene is also expounded on and you get hints as to what's going to be happening not only in the sequel to this story but in the final battle of this story as well. Going to be a major event that you'll want to stay tuned to for sure.

For now though Aihane is as evil as ever while Ren and Kisho try their best to connect with their little sister.

So tell me what you think of the chapter! I need reviews to fuel my creativity. So please comment, point out something that could be improved, whatever!

And a big thank you to Okami Princess for helping me out by being my beta reader! Until next time everyone! And I'll try to keep the updates coming sooner!


	46. Premonition

'

Time-line Update: Sunday Afternoon to Sunday Night, December 8th

Chapter 46: Premonition

* * *

Shino sighed in relief as the warm water ran over her shoulders. They had been driving around for the past few days and had finally stopped at a tourist hotel in a small town, thus the western shower. After all the driving done so far she had completely lost track of where they were. Somewhere in Hokkaido at the base of some mountain was all she could keep track of. Too much sleep deprivation for anything else .

Speaking of which I need to get out of here before I fall asleep standing up, Shino thought as she shut off the water and grabbed a towel. She enjoyed the warm steam for a moment before drying herself off and leaving the towel off to the side for the cleaning service to pick up. After that she pulled a thick shirt and sweatpants on. Not the sexiest sleepwear ever, but it was better than freezing to death. A seedy hotel like this could at least try to provide some type of space heating. Guess she would just have to cuddle up with the dogs again.

Opening the door, Shino looked down just as Mera jumped to her feet; wagging her tail happily at the sight of her master. Laughing at that she bent over and gave the rottweiler a kiss on the head. After the attack on the mansion none of the guard dogs had let them out of their sight. Not even to go shopping quickly at a convenience store for fuel and supplies. Not that it was hard most times for the animals to stay by their side as they all had to squeeze themselves into the sedan Rhodesia had provided her. Two sat in the back and one in front lying partially across Masato's lap, much to his disapproval.

Now Raiden was lying on the hotel bed with Masato as he stared up at the ceiling while Nezumiiro lay down right by the door. The German Shepherd would look up occasionally and growl when someone stopped by the door for too long.

Shino leaned against the wall for a moment as she watched him. He was clearly deep in thought so maybe it was best not to bother him right now. Walking over to the bed she sat down and tapped the sheets. Mera jumped up and circled a few times before laying down. Her poor mother would be horrified to see her daughter with an animal up on any piece of furniture, but after the way these guys had saved their lives Shino figured they were entitled to a few privileges. Plus it made her feel safer to wake up at night and see Mera right beside her scanning the area for any threats.

A heavy sigh came from Masato as he turned his head to look at her. It was impossible to miss the way his eyebrows shot up as he looked her up and down. Rolling her eyes at that Shino walked over and sat down beside him. She put a hand on his forehead and hummed slightly.

"Your fever has gone down. Are you feeling better now?" she asked as he closed his eyes at her touch. Right after making their break from the hospital Masato had started getting sweaty and feverish. Immediately regretting the decision to leave town she had thought about turning back around despite the fact that it would be crawling with police. He had been so desperate and insistent, however, that she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Mmmm, still have a headache. We're getting closer though. We'll be there tomorrow," Masato said softly as she ran her fingers through his hair. The exhaustion in his eyes and the sluggish way he moved showed just how tired he was. Shino smiled as he opened his eyes and looked up at her.

Groaning slightly he lifted himself up to a sitting position. Looking her in the eyes he said, "Thank you for doing this for me. I know it must be confusing for you, but tomorrow everything will be okay again... I promise." The guilty tone in his voice was all too familiar and Shino shook her head at him.

"Don't make promises you can't keep. I'm here because I want to be. Not because I have to be. Your my friend Masato... you know I would do anything for you," Shino assured him with genuine feeling. A blush spread across her face when Masato smirked at her. A tired smirk, but a smirk nonetheless. "Help you. I would do anything to help you," she hastily clarified.

"Of course."

"Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Masato!"

He laughed at her embarrassed protest and slid his arm around her before she could complain further. Her body tensed for a moment before relaxing into his embrace and letting her head rest under his chin. "No more secrets Shino... I'm done hiding and shielding the truth from the people I care about. Once I have Corbenik back I promise I'll make up for everything I've put you through," Masato murmured into her hair. Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of what he must have put himself through during this whole ordeal with AIDA. That was all in the past now. There was only one thing she wanted.

"Just stay with me... I've lost too much already," Shino said to him as leaned against his strong frame.

* * *

Chigusa listened with rapt attention as Kisho explained how their parent's had divorced and their mother had brought them here to Japan. Now that Ryou was gone Ren had started to relax a little, but hadn't really contributed much to the conversation thus far.

"After getting here to Gunma she got mixed up with some lower class Yakuza thug. Started taking drugs and it wasn't long before she got herself addicted to it and pachinko parlors. Soon she was spending all of her money either getting drugs or playing pachinko. Tried to hire a babysitter but eventually fired her and started using the money to support her habit. She came home high, drunk and always yelling or screaming at us. The final straw was..." Kisho stopped and his hands tightened into fists. "When she started beating you. You were just over a year old so I doubt you remember. I couldn't stand there and watch it happen so I sent an anonymous tip into the authorities. They investigated right away and with her consent they took you away and into the foster care system. After a while she got angry at the thought of someone else raising her daughter and ordered that you be returned despite the fact that you were now four years old and knew almost nothing about her or us," he stated as Ren sat up straighter in her chair.

"Here in Japan a biological parent can bar their child from foster care or even take them out of a foster home if the child was originally given over with the parent's consent as in your case. When she first tried to get you back though, Kisho threatened to call our father and bring him into the mix which certainly would have complicated matters greatly. The thought of losing her drinking and drug money to court cases was enough of a deterrent and she dropped the case. The year after that the court ordered us to be taken away as well and determined that she was an unfit mother with no authority to take you back into the home. We never did have any real contact with our father after we moved to Japan we just made our... our mother believe that we did. She was too high most of the time to realize we were lying. We lost all possibility of contact with you as well, but it was worth it knowing that you wouldn't have to suffer like that anymore," Ren summed up as she glared down at the table. Her fingers and shoulders were twitching and she was clearly upset.

After a quick look over at his sister, Kisho continued, "Our father couldn't contact us because our mother hadn't told him where we were. He had to move out of town after the divorce so his address and phone numbers were changed. Also that was a different time and email wasn't nearly as widely used as it is today, not that he would have used it as wary as he was of technology." A smile crossed his lips at the memory, but then he shook his head. "That's what happened on our end. What about you?" he asked changing the subject around.

Chigusa hesitated and rubbed her arms uneasily despite the fact that she had long sleeves on. Even through the cloth she could feel and remember every scar she had carved into her skin. Every wound inflicted on herself to help alleviate the mental anguish her adoptive parents put her through. How much did Ren and Kisho know about what had happened to her? She assumed they had seen the news and looked up what had happened to her and who it was that put her in the hospital at the very least. Yet she doubt that they knew what had gone on before that.

Ren narrowed her eyes at her carefully. "We know that your dad put you in the hospital. CC Corp documents speculated that it was due to AIDA's influence. What about before then though? Were they good to you?" she asked suspiciously seeing as Chigusa was taking a long time to answer.

Rubbing her arms slowly she plastered a smile across her face. "They were fine. We had our ups and downs, but overall they were really good to me." She was lying through her teeth and immediately felt Innis' grave disapproval at her deception. Silently she begged her Avatar not to say anything. After all that her brother and sister had gone through to help her and take her away from her abusive mother Chigusa couldn't bear to tell them that things had only gotten worse and not better.

Kisho gazed back at her silently and tapped his fingers on the table several times. The look in his eyes said that he didn't believe that for a minute, but rather then continuing the subject he let it drop. "Let's leave the past in the past shall we? Now that we're together again we have so much to talk about besides just past family issues. All of us will be working together on the G.U. project so why don't we meet up for a nice dinner and just..." he paused and ran his hand through his hair, "...chill out? Business talk can come later."

Chigusa glanced over towards the door where Ryou was patiently waiting for them to come out. Okay, maybe not patiently, but he was kind enough to give her some space and she loved him so much for that. Besides they would be working together now so the business talk could wait until later on. For now she wanted to get to know her family on a personal level. Her boyfriend was more supportive and kind than she ever could have imagined, she had found her real father and discovered her brother and sister as well. Everything else may be falling apart at the seams, but her real family was starting to come together once again and not only that they loved her... they really and truly loved and missed her.

"Why... why don't you come over to my suite and I'll make dinner for us. That way you can meet Ryou too. He's Skeith's partner so you'll have to work with him too," Chigusa offered hesitantly as she glanced over to gauge Ren's reaction. "It doesn't have to be right away of course... just... whenever you're ready," she said quickly when her sister started to purse her lips at the idea.

The silence stretched on to the point of being uncomfortable as Ren spun the chair left and right. After another second she looked back towards the closed door and then back at her little sister. "Does he treat you well?" she questioned with a dark look in her eyes. Chigusa didn't relish the thought of how Ren would have reacted if the answer had been no. Thankfully she didn't have to say anything as the blush that burned across her cheeks spoke several volumes.

Kisho smirked at her reaction and apparently couldn't resist the urge to tease her. "Oh... I guess that answers that question then doesn't it?" he chuckled to himself as her face grew even redder and she looked down at her lap, flushed with embarrassment. Even Ren couldn't resist a smile apparently.

Chigusa smiled shyly and bit her lower lip. "Ryou... is kind of brash at times, but he has a really good heart and he's certainly a better guy than I deserve," she said honestly. "He's helped me out out of a lot of tough spots... I would be lost without him by my side," she added feeling a swell of affection and pride for her boyfriend.

Rocking back in the office chair, Ren reluctantly sat up straight and then stood up. Gathering up his ebook and satchel, Kisho did the same and politely allowed Chigusa to go in front of him as they headed towards the door. Ren opened it to reveal an impatient and fidgeting Ryou sitting there; occasionally flicking his eyes towards a TV that was over on his left.

Ren nodded and turned to her brother, "Well if he's that special to you then I suppose I could stand a couple hours to have dinner with him. No offense meant," she added when Chigusa frowned slightly.

A scoff came from Kisho as he rolled his eyes and said, "You basically just insulted her boyfriend and then say you mean no offense? That's sure to leave a good impression." His voice was flowing with sarcasm and the man was sure to take a step away as she whirled on him, eyes flashing.

"Well at least I didn't roll up here with that creepy man purse!" she fired back at him in disgust.

"It's a shoulder bag for men, thank you, and I wouldn't talk with that neon hairdo you're sporting."

"What's wrong with my blue hair?"

"...I'm living with an idiot."

"Hey! At least children can look at me without screaming in horror!"

"That was only once I'll have you know."

Both continued to bicker, but Kisho shot Chigusa an amused look that clearly said this was a normal occurrence. With a raised eyebrow, Ryou glanced between the two and then over at his girlfriend who smiled back at him with a wide grin. Her eyes were dancing with excitement and joy. A sigh was his only response accompanied by a roll of his eyes as he went over and slid his arm around her in a hug and she leaned against him as he moved his head closer to hers.

"I take it things went well?" he murmured in her ear. Chigusa nodded and gave him a squeeze as her brother and sister continued arguing; Ren with passionate enthusiasm and Kisho with detached interest.

"They agreed to have dinner with us so we can talk more about personal and business matters. We are going to be working together under Niketas and Rhodesia after all," Chigusa said in a soft and hopeful tone.

Ryou shook his head at the sight of her trying to convince him. "No need to persuade me. This is your family after all and it's clear by your response that things went well. You know I would do anything to make you happy," he said in a low voice, but not low enough apparently. The quick, surprised look that Ren gave them showed that she had heard that part of the exchange at least.

Kisho turned around and looked at his watch to check the time before sending his twin a questioning look. Ren shrugged and shoved her hands in her pockets before saying, "Why not have dinner tonight then? You said you were cooking right?"

"Oh, that doesn't put her on the spot at all," Kisho threw in sarcastically.

Hissing at him Ren opened her mouth to fire back another comment, but Chigusa answered before she could do so. "That's fine. I have plenty of time to make something. Why don't you come by our suite at six? Until then we can show you around and give you a tour of the building if you like," she offered kindly and rather eagerly. After meeting her brother and sister she couldn't bear the thought of walking away from them now.

Before Kisho could accept, Ren leaned forward curiously and asked, "Do you have any pets? I've never had one because someone says it would be torture to subject and animal to my craziness." The dark look that was thrown in her twin's direction was clear evidence of who she was talking about.

Chigusa flinched at that mention and her smile immediately slipped and fell away completely. "No... my... my father got rid of the three birds I had a couple weeks ago," her voice trembled slightly and Ryou rubbed his neck uncomfortably. During one of their quiet moments in the hospital just before coming here they had been sitting by the window watching the birds flying around outside when she told him that her father had killed her birds before locking her up and imprisoning her inside the house. Thankfully Ryou and Skeith had come to her rescue before he could kill her, but that didn't bring her beloved pets back.

Plastering another fake smile across her face Chigusa hurried on, her words coming out in a rush. "Ryou has a kitten though and I'm sure you'll love her! I used to take care of animals during one of my after school activities too in addition to working on my cooking skills."

Taking the hint Kisho spread an arm out for her to lead the way. "Well I'll be sure to keep Ren from antagonizing the poor thing too much then. Until that happens why don't you show us more of the building?"

Naturally that brought on more objections from Ren and the twins were going back and forth once again. If there was one thing Chigusa could say about her new found family it was that they certainly weren't boring.

* * *

All of the AIDA were gone and the few that remained were quickly "getting out of dodge" as the expression went.

Ceren hummed to herself as she sat patiently on the wall of the forest dungeon as her companion Panthera impatiently paced back and forth.

"Where are they!" the feline AIDA demanded as it's tail lashed from side to side in anger. "All of the other AIDA have left The World and the few that are hanging around are more skittish then a Vagrant AI getting ready to be deleted," Panthera mumbled as she finally settled down somewhat and stopped her near frantic pacing.

With a half-spread of her wings, Ceren calmly looked down upon her ally. "Well instead of sitting here we need to find someone who knows what's going on. Our fellow AIDA run away the moment we come into any area so my guess is that we would have more success tracking down some other AI. Something big is going on here and we need to find out what it is... otherwise we may be too late to help our corresponding Epitaph's," she said choosing her words carefully.

Panthera narrowed her pink eyes and growled quietly as she glanced back at her underside. The surface data was healing, but the code underneath was rotting away. Macha was being eaten alive from the inside out, but did the people helping here even notice what was going on under the surface?

"Under the..." Panthera roared and shook her head. "Of course Ceren! The AIDA haven't left The World completely... they're just in the Outer Dungeons. They have to be otherwise there would be increased sightings of them on other servers and computer systems. Come on we need to hurry!" Whirling around the panther slashed open a data tear and leaped through it. Humming to herself, Ceren spread her wings and dove down into the opening after her.

Data and code flew by as they transferred into the fringe areas of The World. Outer Dungeons were bugs, holes in the system that shouldn't be there. After the defeat of Tri-Edge most of them had automatically shut down, but Vagrant AI's and the remaining human friendly AIDA kept them open as safe havens for weary AI's traveling through the network.

What greeted them in this one however was a big surprise.

"What in the...?" Panthera whispered as Ceren flew in and perched herself on the feline's back. Even she let out a whistled at what she saw.

This place was packed to the ceiling with AIDA and Vagrant AI's. The latter were ones that the NAB or CC Corp had not yet captured or otherwise drafted. Space was tight so all of them were huddled together in obvious worry and for some outright fear. Cramped spaces were not enough to keep them all from shying backwards at the sight of the two powerful creatures before them.

Whispers quickly filled the air as Panthera looked around cautiously.

"Those are two of the Eight AIDA!"

"Are they looking for Abtrunniger and Dendeira? Or are they with the Hacker?"

The latter comment drew attention from Ceren who scanned the area for the source of the voice.

"My name is Ceren, counterpart of Tarvos. This is Panthera the counterpart of Macha. The Temptress is in serious condition and we must find her soon if we are to help her. All we wish is to speak with on of the Epitaphs or their representative," the phoenix announced in a loud voice to all of them. Quite a bit of stirring and mumbling washed through the crowded dungeon but no one said anything in response.

After several long seconds one Victorian AIDA moved forward to speak to address them. "I will not take you to their location... but if you are patient then I will deliver your message to them so that they can come here to meet you," it responded tersely before adding, "These are terrible times and the Hacker is coming for all of us soon. We cannot afford to make any mistakes."

Panthera winced as a it's belly glowed slightly and more code was eaten away. Time was running out for Macha. Her surface data was healing, but inside she was getting worse. "Very well. Just hurry up and get them here," she snarled out impatiently and the Victorian bowed to them before dissolving into a mass of bubbles and then vanishing altogether.

Ceren clacked her beak together and spread her wings to look more intimidating. "Who is this 'Hacker' person you speak of? Is he the reason all of you are hiding out here?" she asked curiously. Naturally they had heard talk of some human who was causing trouble in The World, but she and Panthera had been too busy searching for the Epitaph's to pay much attention to rumors.

A small AI in the form of a patchwork teddy bear cleared its throat. "He goes by the name 'Aihane' and he is a hacker unlike any other. AIDA are being captured by him and even some of the Eight like you have been enslaved by him. Something big is going to happen soon... very, very soon. War is coming. A battle for Aura herself! We came here to get away from it. Aihane is going to fight what's left of the Epitaphs!" it wailed in a childlike voice as it covered it's eyes in despair.

Ceren and Panthera exchanged a look. Time was even shorter then they had imagined.

* * *

**AN:** So I've finally updated as you can see. It took longer than I had wanted due to some personal troubles such as the death of our pet. We finally had to put her down after 15 years and we had her since I was only 7 years old so I am still understandably upset. But writing heals many wounds and I'm happy to finally get this chapter out for all of you to read and enjoy!

I put in some Shino/Ovan action for all of you fans of that and you get the background story on what happened with Ren, Kisho, and Chigusa (or Narina since that's her "real" name is). Don't worry their father will come back in later, but for now there are other things to worry about. Such as all of the AIDA heading for the hills. Word has spread that Aihane is taking the offensive and planning a huge battle against the Epitaph Users and CC Corp in general. The G.U. Members, or just Pi and Niketas at the moment, are aware of this and the others will be filled in later on.

The final chapter is approaching quickly and we've got a ton of ground to cover in the meantime! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter!

Thanks for reading and please review!


	47. Predetermined

Time-line Update: Monday December 9th

–

Chapter 47: Predetermined

* * *

Sentou fidgeted uneasily and looked over his shoulder. They weren't even bothering to hide the fact that they were following him. Still it made him extremely uncomfortable. He had never been in trouble with the law before and during his first adventure in The World he had ended up having CC Corp on his side. Now it was quite a different story. Both he and Akira had been contacted by a player known as Zelkova via the message boards. Then he had sent them an email after which they had entered the game using the accounts he provided them. It was quite a surprise to see that they were in PC's that were almost identical to their old ones. A few minor design changes showed that they were copies and not the originals, though.

Upon entering The World they had almost immediately been transferred and dropped into the middle of a battle between some giant monsters. The only one Sentou had recognized was Skeith, but the other sword slinging one must have been an Epitaph as well. The black dots trailing behind the scorpion-like monster showed that it was mostly likely a part of that AIDA virus that had been all over the news lately. Then Skeith and the PC that was apparently in control of him had taken them away and kept them from logging out until for several hours. After a thorough questioning session both he and Akira had finally been released, but were given stern warnings by an NAB ambassador not to tell anyone about what had happened, and when the NAB turned its attention to you then you kept your mouth shut and your opinions to yourself.

As a reformed world government organization they had finally grown the fangs that the World Network Commission had sorely lacked.

_As secretive as CC Corp is I can't say that I'm surprised. Still it doesn't help to have them following me around... well either them or the NAB, _he thought and hesitantly stared at the bank across the street. Sentou couldn't even go to his bank without feeling scared about it. _CC Corp has always wanted to control or get rid of Aura so I'm guessing that the new Network Administration Bureau isn't going to just sit back and let that happen, _he considered and looked back over his shoulder again, but didn't spot his seemingly omnipresent shadow anywhere.

What had happened since he and his friends had left The World behind? The Epitaphs were now being controlled by players who were under the authority of the NAB, who in turn was evidently monitoring CC Corp. Sentou assumed that the Phases had been revamped and their code written over so that they could be now be controlled in the wake of Morganna's demise. Keyword being _assumed_.

It felt so weird not to have all the background information; not to have friends on the inside ready to help and provide information or missions to go on. He was on the outside looking in and just as clueless as everybody else. Sentou growled and paced back and forth nervously.

Were they going to bring him back onto the team? Or just ensure that he kept quiet? What about Akira? It was his fault she had gotten involved in this again... okay so realistically she would have gone in with or without him, but that didn't keep him from feeling guilty over the whole thing.

Sentou finally worked up the courage and darted across the narrow but still eternally busy street and up to the bank machine or ATM.

Problem was he was locked out. Literally.

"'Not allowed to access this account'? What the..." Sentou stopped and clenched his fists. This was getting ridiculous. The NAB had slid him under a microscope. Was it really just for entering The World and stumbling upon the Epitaphs again? Sure matters had been serious before, but these kinds of subtle threats had never taken place.

A loud ringing startled him and Sentou fumbled around for his cell phone; once again making a mental note to turn the sound down later. Before he could even get a word in Akira was screaming at full volume.

"_They cut me off! _Now how am I supposed to get a rail fare? Do you even know how long it will take for me to walk home from here? They even confiscated my car! The one my dad bought for me when I had to go away for college!" She screeched forcing him to pull the phone away.

"Calm down, Akira! They did the same thing to me too. There's nothing we can do but..." Sentou started rationally only to be cut off once again.

"Nothing we can do? _Nothing we can do?_ Oh, I tell you what I'm going to do! I'm going to march across this section of town, straight into that tower and bang on the doors of those stiff suits until they have no choice but to listen to me!" She stated with the stomp of her foot on the concrete clearly audible. "And you are coming with me!"

Now hold on just a minute...

"Wait... why do I have to go?" Sentou fired back. They were already following him and cutting off his money so the last thing he wanted was to aggravate them even more. The NAB was totally different from the WNC and he had no desire to see their new "fangs" in action.

"Because you're my friend and Aura's friend and a friend of The World and a real man wouldn't leave a girl to enter the lion's den alone," Akira argued strongly.

Shoot.

Realizing that he really was too nice a guy to let that happen, Sentou sighed heavily and could practically see the grin on her face as she continued, "See? I'll meet you outside the CC Corp tower in two hours. Don't be late!" she chirped before hanging up. He stared at the phone for several seconds before shaking his head.

A girl entering the lion's den? More like a dragon. An angry Akira was never a good thing and she had only gotten more... _opinionated_ with age. Sentou could only hope he got there before she said the wrong thing and got them both thrown in jail.

Turning around he started to head in the direction of the CC Corp building since it would take a while to get there. These moments allowed him time to think about what he had seen inside of The World. When they had been transferred into that battle there was another monster there fighting already. When it was defeated it turned back into a PC that looked just like him.

Well almost like him.

But what was it? It couldn't have been a real player so it must have been an AI. Who created it though? Was it... Aura?

_Did Aura create that Kite lookalike? Did she create it because I never came back? Or did she do it to remember me? Kind of like the way people would make a statue here in the real world. Only thing wrong was that it didn't seem... complete. It was like there were pieces missing or that it had been stitched together. Or maybe Aura didn't have everything she needed to create him properly, _Sentou thought. His curiosity had been itching ever since he first laid eyes on that copy of him. He wanted to see him again. He wanted to talk to that strange PC and find out where it had come from and if Aura had really created him.

He _had_ to go back to The World.

* * *

Tomonari groaned and shifted his sore butt once again. He had been stuck here on Basement Level 5 of the G.U. Building for nearly 14 hours straight with barely a bathroom or lunch break to relieve himself. One of the other tech's had brought some food and soda for him, but other then that it had been a constant stream of AIDA attacks, attempted server disruption, player infections, and so forth. The World was seriously messed up and there was really no hiding it anymore. CC Corp had put out an official release saying that any problems should be reported to them immediately and that they had formed a "special group" to deal with these recurring AIDA attacks. Apparently that was enough of a response for the hardcore players and only one-third of the total Japanese players had left or started playing infrequently. The AIDA attacks in other countries server's of The World were not nearly at the same level, but they too were increasing in frequency.

Groaning and lamenting his now worsening double vision, Tomonari finally gave up and told Magus that he had to go and get some rest. The Avatar shrugged it off and said that he would keep patrolling areas in the meantime, so don't worry. When he went to take the headset off, though, it literally _peeled_ off his face. "Ugh, that is _so_ gross," he said in disgust as he tossed the top of the line M2D to a corner of his eternally messy desk.

"Maybe that wouldn't happen if you would take the time to clean it after each use," Reiko stated with little sympathy. Her desk on the other hand was spotless. It was like the dust itself was too scared to touch it or something.

When Tomonari first came here he had been so excited to see Pi in the flesh, only to find out that she was just as distant as in The World. Yata's untimely death hadn't helped either. Reiko had only grown more distant since then. Tomonari looked over to his right to see her still sitting there at her own desk with her arms crossed. They had never needed controllers to bring out the fighting abilities of their Avatar's since they connected with them on a much deeper level. However, now that they were more fully fused with their Epitaphs they no longer needed to use game controllers _at all _in order to move their PC's around. He still did but only because it felt so unnatural not to.

_That's one way to cut down on carpal tunnel incidents, _he thought leaning back in his chair and stretching as far as he could bend. Sleeping came infrequently enough with all the responsibility he now had on his shoulders, he didn't need long hours in front of a computer screen to make it any worse.

"Oh, that feels so much better. How long have you been at it?" He always attempted to make conversation with her, but was only half successful most of the time. Usually she would respond with distracted irritation and after a few minutes finally tear off her M2D and tell him to get lost.

Now Reiko paused for a moment and lifted her headset to glare at him. "If you have time to talk then you have time to work. Either leave and get some rest or be quiet and do your job," she growled out at him. Pulling the M2D back down she went right back to work without another word.

So much for conversation then.

Tomonari stretched and pushed himself up out of the chair. It was more of a chore than he expected it to be seeing as he had been sitting in it for over half a day. After a few seconds spent massaging his legs, he finally convinced them not to collapse on him and limped away from his desk. Skeith had healed Ryou from a gunshot wound to the head and Innis had sewn Chigusa's back up after her stab wounds, but Magus refused to help him with his sore legs? Some friend he was.

All around him other technicians were tapping away at their keyboards or game controllers. Some of them were following up on forum threads about AIDA, news cases concerning AIDA corrupted machines or other such tasks. The large majority of them though were working on carefully rebuilding Macha's damaged code. It was progressing well, but still she hadn't woken up or shown any signs of improvement. Kaoru had woken up and was getting better, but the fact that his Epitaph continued to stay the same if not deteriorate showed that something was still very wrong.

So much to worry about and time was ticking away faster and faster. No matter what they did, how many area's they closed, or the firewalls they put up the AIDA still kept coming relentlessly. Reported sightings were skyrocketing and more countries were reporting the virus in their machines and network systems. Entire economic structures were on the verge of collapse in the poorer nations while stock markets were dropping rapidly in wealthier nations due to fear of what the AIDA corruption might do again.

Machines could run all day and night without stopping, but humans needed to stop and rest and that was hurting their performance. It was the Epitaph Users who did the most important work and without them the whole operation would grind to a halt. Yet they couldn't just keep running day and night the way their Avatar's could and even though Magus and Tarvos could keep running for days, weeks, months or longer without a break they weren't as effective without their User's.

_Aihane has us whipped and he knows it. We need better people. Not just technicians. We need people like Kite and BlackRose. People who have been through all of this before and can provide the experience that we need to make it through this alive, _Tomonari thought with a sigh as he stopped by the security door to rub his sore thighs once again. Hitting the open sequence he waited as the door reluctantly slid open for him like the doors of a massive bank vault. When he stepped across the threshold it automatically started to close behind him so that no one else could slip through.

Word had it that Ryou and Chigusa were now living here, but he had yet to see them personally and when he asked Rhodesia about it she had been surprisingly evasive and said in no uncertain terms that it really wasn't something he needed to worry about. Tomonari had taken the hint, but still tried his luck with Niketas who had been even harsher and coldly told him to get lost and get some real work done.

So much for team spirit.

Speaking of which Rhodesia and Niketas had been talking more and more with each other. Tomonari had gotten the impression that they weren't particularly fond of each other so it was strange to see them having meetings practically every day. Even more suspicious was the fact that Magus and the remaining Avatar's were included, but none of the Epitaph User's were. More unsettling was the fact that when he asked his partner about the meeting Magus had clammed up and immediately responded by saying that it was confidential information about an upcoming confrontation with Aihane.

Since when did they keep things from each other? Especially on a scale that large?

Tomonari didn't have the slightest idea as to what they could be talking about and he certainly didn't like being excluded. Maybe he would try to find Ryou and Chigusa and see if they were having the same issues with their Avatar's. That's when a thought occurred to him. Abtrunniger and Dendeira had been invited to these meetings too. Maybe he could ask one of _them_ about this whole thing...

_Forget about it. This concerns the Avatars and the corresponding Eight AIDA, _Magus immediately replied and Tomonari scowled angrily. One of the downsides of having a partner that knew your every thought.

_Come on buddy can't you tell me something?_ He begged hopefully. The Avatar wasn't budging, though.

_No way. When the time come's you'll know all about it. Until then forget about it because Rhodesia said I can't tell you anything. It's only to be used as a last resort and Aihane can't be aware of it before then, _Magus explained with unusual firmness. He usually didn't put his foot down like this and the fact that he did only intrigued Tomonari more.

_Rhodesia again? What is with you Avatar's and that woman? _He asked with a roll of his eyes. Honestly he still just didn't understand the bond they had with the NAB Ambassador. Rhodesia all but had them wrapped around her finger. Even _Skeith_ liked her. Unfortunately, the only response he received was an extremely smug feeling from Magus who otherwise remained silent.

NAB officials in secret meetings with the Epitaph's and corresponding AIDA? What could they possibly be planning?

* * *

Magus sighed in relief as his User gave up on questioning him. He had finished one meeting with Niketas and Rhodesia while Tomonari was taking a short lunch break, but now it was right back to another one. Looking over his shoulder he saw Tarvos wave her hand to open the barrier stretching across the corridor opening and then enter. The barrier was set up so that no one could wander in, hear the conversation, or even see what was going on.

"I told Pi that we had another meeting. Clearly she is suspicious but I'm sure Kuhn feels the same way..." Tarvos paused at the end and Magus nodded uneasily.

"Yeah, I don't like keeping this from him but... wow. I mean... thinking about it is just... a lot to take in. I'm not sure I like having this much pressure on my shoulders," he said as a shiver went up his spine. Looking around he saw that Abtrunniger, Dendeira, Innis, and Skeith were all here as well. Macha was still being repaired and the other Epitaphs had been captured by Aihane. It was actually rather depressing to see that things had ended up like this.

"And you think I feel any better?" Skeith demanded from his corner of the Outer Dungeon area. "The last thing I want to do is be forced to abandon my User just when he needs me the most." The Terror of Death's large hands clenched into fists and he looked away in frustration. "I understand the logic, but... even for Aura I don't know if I..." he stopped as Innis put a hand over his.

"These tactics are only going to be used as a last resort so we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Besides even if the worst happens we still have a way out. You know Haseo would never give up hope on you," Innis' assured him and he perked up a little at that as Rhodesia warped in using her Ambrosia PC. Niketas was right behind her in a PC that was identical to his real-life self.

"Ready to begin we are?" she asked looking around at all of them. When they all nodded Ambrosia continued. "Confirm we will last meetings topic and discuss new information gathered we have about Xen," she said with a nod to Niketas who stepped forward.

"I'll summarize what we went over last time. We've already agreed that Aihane working up to a massive full scale battle. Should his army of AIDA fragments overpower us at that time then Abtrunniger and Dendeira have agreed to relinquish their abilities and combine with their respective Epitaphs... Magus and Innis," Niketas explained and the cobra AIDA bobbed his head in agreement.

"We will do whatever we must to help protect our new friends," he stated solemnly and Dendeira waggled her fins and spines in agreement.

"It is likely that Aihane is merely capturing the Avatar's as an elaborate ruse so that they in turn will not only be out of the way, but can be used to capture Skeith. He is the one that can summon Aura. It doesn't matter where she is or at what location he is in the network. She will appear there if Skeith calls to her. Aihane knows this from the initial fight with Cubia when it was attempted to summon her at the Hulle Granz Cathedral," Niketas reminded them and everyone glanced over at the white Avatar.

The only Avatar that Aihane really _needed_ was Skeith, but even if he had captured the Terror of Death at the very beginning it would have been simple for the seven remaining Epitaphs to team up and take him back. So to prevent his key piece from escaping his grasp the moment after it was captured, the hacker had gone after the weaker Phases first. So when the time came few if any would be left to prevent Skeith from being captured and enslaved. After all if the Terror of Death was captured then that would only leave Magus, Tarvos, and Innis as the remaining Avatars.

Ambrosia nodded in agreement before saying, "If comes to that it does then Skeith will break his bond with Haseo and The World Escape from. Counterpart Scorpius is so likely is it that be there he will. If so then the Avatar's subdue him must and time allow for Skeith to assimilate AIDA's data into his own." She looked over at Dendeira who floated over closer to her.

"Yes. It will only take a few seconds at the longest. The power we hold originally belonged to the Epitaph's so the process will be very short. To have the best results it must be initiated by both Avatar and its corresponding AIDA. Skeith could force the issue and make Scorpius give up his power, but that might cause conflicts in the future. Once we give up our power we won't just disappear, but rather we'll continue to live on as a part of the original Epitaph. So being bonded with a virus that doesn't like you could cause personality problems, behavioral issues and more. This may be a no brainer for Magus and Innis, but when it comes to the others you should be far more careful," Dendeira cautioned all of them.

Niketas slid a hand into his pocket and said, "We must be prepared for every possible outcome. Hopefully we will not be forced into that dire of a situation, however... if it is necessary then we _will not_ hesitate to execute this plan of action in order to protect Aura and keep her from being captured." He paused for a moment as Skeith crossed his arms.

"But if Aura is summoned somehow... then I'll still need to escape. I'm the first Epitaph and as such I'm also the strongest. If she is light then I'm darkness. We're two sides of the same coin. Aura can either gain power from me or be destroyed by me. Since the internet needs her presence in order to function at its peak performance there is no way we could ever get rid of her. Aihane knows this, but still needs me to ensure that I won't interfere with his plans by protecting her or hiding her somewhere out of his grasp," Skeith stated with an angry rumble to his voice.

Tarvos sighed heavily. "This is so complicated... do we really need to keep it a secret from our Users?" she asked looking back over her shoulder towards Pi.

Abtrunniger snorted and coiled up tightly. "Humans make mistakes. Machines and data do not. If your humans know what we are planning then there is a chance that they could hesitate and not follow through with it. With stakes this high we cannot risk even the slightest bit of hesitation from anyone," he hissed sharply and she glared at him testily.

Innis moved between them before any more sparks could start flying. "Abtrunniger is right. I hate having to hide this from Atoli... especially considering the lies she's been fed all her life, but for this coming battle to turn in our favor then we must use every advantage that we have," she said as a reminder.

Abtrunniger was going to say something else but stopped and whipped his head around just as Dendeira did the same.

Moments later Tarvos stiffened in surprise. "Pi says that there is a Victorian AIDA here with a message from Ceren and Panthera... two more of the Eight AIDA," she said. Barrier or not that couldn't stop an Avatar and it's User from communicating if they really needed to. Everyone looked over to Abtrunniger and Dendeira. Both of them bristled and the fish AIDA's spines and fins flared out.

"They are not bad, but at this point we can't be sure who is working for whom. Let us hear the message they have to say and we'll decide whether or not we should meet with them," Dendeira said hesitantly and Niketas nodded in agreement.

"Skeith and Innis will go if it is decided that we will meet up with them and Dendeira will provide background support. Do not tell your Users," Niketas said firmly and snapped his fingers to bring down the barrier.

Everyone agreed and Ambrosia warped out of the Outer Dungeon while Magus and Abtrunniger hurried to set up screens so they could begin scanning The World for any sign of the two powerful AIDA.

* * *

**AN:** Sorry for taking all of eternity to get this posted, but now that were almost to the final chapter I want things to be perfect... or as perfect as they possibly can at least. I'm trying to arrange things so that I don't leave you with a massive life or death cliffhanger in the last chapter or any chapter.

There's also TONS of info to pack into these last chapters so I have to figure out how to arrange it and if I want to make these chapters a bit longer than usual. So yeah, i've taken a long time but trust me I really have been working my butt off for all of you.

So thank you so much for reading and please review and let me know what you think of the chapter!


	48. Mechanical Madness

Time-line Update: Late Monday Night, December 9th

**AN: **First off thank you all so much for your kind words and reviews! I'm feeling much better and my outlook had greatly improved! If you just stick in there and keep working at it then life really does get better. So again I can't thank you readers enough for your encouragement! I promise to make these final chapters the best ever!

Since we are in the final chapters they'll be a bit longer then what I've been doing. They won't be 20 and 30 page epics but they will be longer then what you've gotten used to maybe. I've tried to pack plenty of action into this chapter but there is plenty more to come. This story isn't over yet so forge ahead and start reading!

Chapter 48: Mechanical Madness

* * *

There was no time even get to the area. The minute Skeith opened a portal to transfer them there an alarm started wailing full blast. Magus turned around to look even as Pi came running towards them with a frantic look on her face. Tarvos let the barrier drop as her User came running up to them.

"Macha is in trouble! Her code is completely disintegrating. It's vanishing layer by layer!" Pi shouted in panic. Abtrunniger hissed and his tail slapped on the ground several times before he turned to Dendeira.

"We have no choice but to call in Panthera and Ceren. She is Macha's corresponding AIDA and if anyone can stop this process then it would be her. Xen's attack must have damaged The Temptress far more than CC Corp was able to detect. If her data is disintegrating then that means the process is in the final stages of collapse. Skeith, go and bring Panthera here, but her alone. Innis will stay behind to keep Ceren from following. At this point whether for good or for bad we have no choice but to have Panthera return her powers to Macha. That will rewrite all of her code and she will be reborn in her true form," Abtrunniger commanded as Niketas and Ambrosia warped back into the area.

Skeith nodded and jumped through the data tear with Innis right behind him.

"What's going on? I barely logged off before an alarm sounded and Pi told me to come back in because there was an emergency," Niketas said as the alarm continued to wail all around them.

Dendeira turned to address them. "Macha's code is falling apart. The deepest layers likely have been doing so ever since the attack with Xen but were too hidden for the CC Corp and G.U. engineers to detect. Now the surface layers are actively dissolving. She _will _die along with Endrance if something is not done. Skeith will bring back Panthera and she will return her power to Macha in order to save her. Whether she is on our side or not is unclear, but at this point we risk losing one of the Eight Phases forever and that cannot be allowed to happen." The fish AIDA had barely finished speaking when black dots gushed out of the data tear and spilled onto the floor.

It pulled back together and formed a large cat like AIDA. However, it became clear that whatever was happening with Macha was being mirrored in her AIDA counterpart because Panthera had massive holes in her body and they were growing larger every second. The code underneath wasn't a string of orderly numbers, but rather was a jumbled hazy mess with pieces missing and entire strings collapsing.

"Macha... get me... to Macha... only... a few minutes left..." she wheezed out as her back legs collapsed when the data started to dissolve there as well. Skeith emerged from the hole and carefully picked up Panthera. The data tear sealed up behind him.

"Well what are you all staring at? We going to do this or just stand around twiddling our thumbs?" Skeith grunted as he pushed past them and made his way down the corridor towards where Macha was located. Everyone followed closely behind the white Avatar as he hurried to his fellow Avatar. When they got there everyone could see Macha's body filled with large holes that were only growing bigger.

"Closer... put me down closer..." Panthera said with a shudder as Niketas ordered the technicians to back off. Skeith complied by putting the feline AIDA down next to her Epitaph counterpart. Skeith complied as Macha weakly turned her head to the side to look at them.

"Hurts... help me?" She croaked out in a weak voice as her hand started to dissolve into meaningless strings of data. Panthera hissed as her own paw began to do the same.

"Yes. Yes, I am... here to help you. When you feel ...my data starting to... mix with yours do not resist it." Panthera had to take a deep breath before continuing. "Once the integration is complete... initiate a forced reboot of all your systems. Then... the process will be complete. You will be reborn... in your ultimate form," she wheezed out as her eyes drifted shut. A ripple passed though both of them as the data on their faces started to be eaten away.

The panther AIDA took a deep breath as the jumbled code in her damaged body began to peel apart and pull back. Condensing into an ever tighter sphere of glowing data strings as Macha's body did the same. Both sphere's glowed brighter until they had illuminated the entire area. It was so bright you could barely see what was happening.

Niketas put his hands over his eyes reflexively as Tarvos moved in front of him and Pi just in case things turned nasty. Skeith moved to stand in front of Ambrosia as the two data sphere's began to push into one another giant orb as the symbols spliced together to form new lines of code. Black AIDA dots rippled across the surface as a framework started to form from within the radiant light.

More alarms started to sound as Abtrunniger slid around the corner. He and Magus had been keeping track of Innis and the other AIDA Ceren, but now something else was clearly wrong.

"AIDA fragments are pouring into all the major towns! The arena, Mac Anu, Dol Donna, Breg Epona and all the event areas are being crippled by them. Aihane has launched a full scale attack. The Avatar's in his possession are heading the invasion in Mac Anu!" Abtrunniger told them as Magus flew around the corner as well only to slam into his friend. Catching himself the two fumbled around to untangle each other before he started to speak.

"They've turned all the towns into AIDA servers. Players are being killed left and right and this time I _don't _think they are just going to fall into a coma," Magus explained as he brought up screens showing the chaos and destruction. Corbenik was going wild, indiscriminately hacking away and people and buildings alike. AIDA were swarming through the streets as players made feeble attempts to fight back and defend themselves from the overwhelming onslaught. Xen suddenly appeared in one of the screens and dived into a building before swimming out of the other side leaving the building to rot away as if diseased.

Niketas turned away from the brilliant light and started firing off orders. "Everyone move out! Go to Mac Anu and keep those AIDA and the other Avatar's at bay until we can figure out a way to transfer off the AIDA server and protect the players! Abtrunniger and Dendeira that includes you as well!" He looked back at the glowing data sphere that was now hidden by large flower petals. It had only been a few seconds, but there was no telling how long this would take.

Ambrosia looked over at Pi and added, "Bring I will Ren and Kisho to the lower levels so figure out they can how to hack firewall of AIDA server. Advanced much more than the last one this is. Not easy breaking in will it be. Keep players safe is main priority. Don't worry about other damage. The World won't survive damage Xen is doing to it," she said grimly as "diseased" spots began to spread like gangrene eating away the graphics, data, and code leaving nothing but raw static beneath.

"Why isn't he attacking any players?" Dendeira asked suddenly. Everyone stared at her before looking back to the camera views. Xen dove towards a group of players but swerved away just shy of eating them alive. Why? He wasn't that much farther above a mindless A.I. Why go out of his way to _avoid_ hurting players?

Abtrunniger cocked his head and then hummed in surprise as Xen doubled back and circled Corbenik a few times before diving off to cause more damage. "There you have it. Corbenik is controlling him now. Xen's data is horribly corrupted and infects anything it touches. He keeps eating and eating any data he can find to try and patch the holes in his own code. As the counterpart of an Epitaph however, Corbenik is the only one who can provide the material he needs to be whole again. I think Corbenik has figured this out and is using it to his advantage. Those slave systems may have been planted in them and possibly in you Avatar's as well, but that doesn't mean they can't still plan a way around them," Abtrunniger stated watching the screen. Fidchell was standing above the central hub preventing any players from getting to the Chaos Gate and escaping to other areas.

That reminder immediately made all the Epitaphs fidget uneasily. They had forgotten all about that. There was no telling when they would or could be activated by Aihane. Most likely it would be during this battle when they were weakest to resist its effects.

A loud clap distracted them. Ambrosia waved her hands angrily at all of them, "Go! Enough talk!" she snapped and everyone hurried and mobilized into action. She logged out of the Outer Dungeon and The World so she could look for Ren and Kisho and press them into service. Niketas logged off as well as the Skeith ripped open a data tear with his scythe to lead the way.

When everyone was gone the flower holding Macha's new form slowly bloomed as black AIDA dots bubbled around it.

* * *

Corbenik threw attacks left and right both at the humans and to spur the AIDA fragments to action. It made his stomach turn having to do all of this, but Aihane was giving him no choice. Scorpius was currently in Breg Epona razing the highest level city and its players. He was waiting for the signal that Skeith had arrived; then the scorpion AIDA would come to do battle with his counterpart once he had been sufficiently weakened.

_Or so Aihane thinks,_ Corbenik smirked at the thought, but then twitched as more players screamed and then turned gray with death. They were so close now, _so close_ to executing their plan. Only a a bit longer and their chance at turning the tables would come. If Aura really _did_ appear then it would be up to Xen to protect her from Aihane and hopefully take her away from the battle zone. Everything hinged on Xen and on the hacker not knowing what was going on.

_And the chances of that are rather slim, _Corbenik considered as he blocked a pathetic attack by a human and knocked them away with one arm. AIDA fragments swarmed through the streets and buildings after helpless players. The Epitaph felt a shiver go up his spine as Skeith, Innis, Magus, Tarvos, and two more of the Eight AIDA appeared through a data tear in front of them. His eyes locked onto the Terror of Death as the white Avatar drew his scythe and prepared for battle. Dendeira charged after Xen while Magus and Abtrunniger went after Fidchell. Innis darted from place to place slicing and hacking away at the AIDA fragments that were swarming through the city.

That meant only one Epitaph was left.

Skeith narrowed his eyes and moved into a battle stance.

Corbenik was meant to weaken the Terror of Death and then Aihane would order Scorpius back to Mac Anu where he would activate the slave system inside the white Epitaph. Scorpius would then combine with him and use brute force to push him into submission. When that was completed Aihane would order Skeith, now being fully controlled by him, to summon Aura. Problem was that Corbenik had no idea what would happen after that or if that plan would even work properly. The hacker clearly had something else planned, but had not told his minions what that plan was.

And that scared him.

Another thing bothering him was the fact that Gorre was not here. Neither Hinote Gorre nor Gorre Taiga were anywhere in The World and Corbenik had not seen them back in Aihane's personal systems either for at least a couple days. Were they being used as a back up in case Skeith could not be subdued? Or was something else being planned for them? There was no way of knowing, but the human had to have something special planned for them. He had entered this battle confidently, but the more it dragged on the more his stomach sank. Something _wasn't_ right here and no matter how much he wanted to trust his fellow Epitaph, Corbenik's eyes kept going back to Fidchell who was currently fighting against Magus and Abtrunniger. After all he hadn't earned his title The Prophet for nothing. He couldn't predict the future with one hundred percent accuracy, but he _could_ see all the _potential_ outcomes the future might take. So if Aihane had activated Fidchell's prophetic abilities then it would be simple for him to plan out for the worst case scenario.

_Be careful Skeith. Tell me your User has something else up his sleeve, _Corbenik thought as he lifted his arms and used Clinch Needle to fire hundreds of needles towards Skeith who blew them away with a shockwave from his scythe before using his Energy Machine Gun. The shot slammed into him knocking him backwards.

Corbenik used Celestial Wrath to fire a shot upwards followed by Devil's Verdict. Reaching out with his longer left arm, he hooked his blade around Skeith's body to drag him closer and then fling him roughly to the ground. Energy shots rained down from the sky onto Skeith who used his scythe to deflect most of the attacks.

This battle was just getting started.

* * *

Kisho's fingers flew across the keyboard as he hacked through countless lines of code and rewrote it. There was no time for them to be updated on all the details of the G.U. Project or the background of the first AIDA server that had been set up before. They were flying by the seat of their pants as the phrase went.

"How many times has it been now? That Niketas has dropped an assignment on us with no notice I mean?" Ren asked as she tapped away at the keyboard. Occasionally muttering to herself as another screenful of code popped up in front of her.

"More than I can count. I suppose that the fact that we rarely fail our assignments gives them license to pile on the work with no explanation," Kisho responded as entered more lines successfully. The progress report put them at 22 percent. Hardly good enough. They had a _long_ way to go if they were going to get all of these players off that AIDA server. Minutes and seconds were a luxury they did not have when real people were dying left and right.

"That and we sold our souls to..." Ren paused for a moment and glanced up from her computer as Niketas finished talking and walked towards them. "Oh, speak of the devil," she commented with a wicked grin before ducking her head and going back to work.

"Don't think I didn't hear that," Niketas frowned at them both as he lifted his sunglasses and shifted his eyes between the two of them. It was already dimly lit in here already except for the desk lamps and large computer screens at the front of the room, yet the Russian man still insisted on wearing those shades. Why they kept it so dark in the first place was another mystery. Probably to save energy or something.

"Explanations will come later on. Just hack that server so we can get those people out of there. The Epitaphs will have to fight off Aihane's hordes until then and try to keep as many in Mac Anu as possible safe from the invading AIDA fragments," Niketas ordered them as he put his sunglasses back in place. "You two are our best bet in accomplishing this task quickly and in a way that's not going to bring half The World crashing down on our heads. Just make sure you do it _right_ because we won't get a second chance here," he reminded them. He was distracted when a tech called out to him and motioned for him to come over.

Ren glared at him from over the computer screen as he walked away. "No _really?_ Thank you for telling us that _master_. We might never have figured it out on our own you arrogant prick," she muttered sticking her tongue out at Niketas' back for good measure.

"Don't waste your time on him when we've still got thousands of more lines to rewrite here," Kisho chastised as he suddenly realized something. His hands froze over the keyboard for a moment before he shook his head and started working again. Still a glance at his twin showed that she was thinking the same thing.

"All the Epitaphs are there except for Macha and Gorre and I doubt that both of them are out of commission. Something _very_ unusual is going on here," he realized uneasily as he came across a line of data that gave him a hint as to what was going on.

It was a programming code that allowed data in, but locked down the area once anything tried to get out. Now that the AIDA server was up it could only be accessed and opened from the outside and the server extended throughout all the major towns of The World and was quickly spreading to encompass all of the outside areas as well. Aihane had essentially thrown his own minions into a cage and locked the door so they couldn't get out.

"What is he trying to do? If the server goes down then not only will the Epitaphs working for G.U. be lost, but so will the Avatar's that Aihane possesses," Ren thought as she continued typing and rewriting code. Frowning she added, "Or maybe he's trying to lure _something else_ inside and keep it there." Their gaze locked for a moment and both looked back to the main screen showing how the battle was going. An image of Skeith fighting Corbenik flashed up for all of them to see and that's when it all made sense.

Skeith was the bait and Aura was the prey. The two had a bond between them due to Morganna's influence. What influence that would have now was unclear, but what they did know was that the Terror of Death was the only one who was able to summon the Goddess of The World from her hiding place... but what if Skeith was the one injured? If he was hurt badly enough... would Aura come to his aid?

* * *

Corbenik was proving to be a tougher challenge then expected. No matter how many attacks Skeith and Haseo threw at him the other Epitaph kept evading them. Darting in and out The Rebirth would dodge in and out slicing at him bit by bit. The objective was clearly to wear him down, not destroy him.

_Aihane needs me,_ Skeith reminded himself as his hands tightened on his scythe. Haseo's strength was starting to flag and his along with it. Corbenik alone would have been hard enough, but with who knows how many other AIDA fragments also doing everything they could to distract him and launching attacks from all sides it wasn't easy to stay focused. A single shockwave from his weapon was enough to destroy them, but for every one that he got five more were there to take its place. There was just no end to it. Skeith didn't particularly _enjoy _destroying them seeing as they really had no choice in them matter, but right now it was survival of the fittest. Aihane could be punished later on.

Looking over he saw Innis stumble back as several Victorian AIDA ganged up and fired their lasers at her all at once. Atoli couldn't take this for much longer. Abtrunniger and Dendeira were also wearing out due to the shear number of enemies facing them. Magus and Abtrunniger were double teaming Fidchell at every turn and still the best they could do was meet his attacks with their own. The Prophet was predicting their every move and intercepting it or sending AIDA fragments to do it for him. No matter what they did they couldn't make headway and the more time dragged on the more their User's endurance started to flag.

"I think this has gone on long enough," Aihane's voice called out suddenly. "It's time to ramp things up a bit."

A data tear ripped open in the sky as black AIDA dots poured out and shot towards Magus who had just blocked an attack by Fidchell. He turned around and put up his shield as a large bearlike figure materialized from the black mass. Black arms grabbed at Magus to hold him back as a white furry arm with large black claws tore through the shield and ripped into his chest. It tore strings of data from him like a hot knife through butter. Clutching at the now gaping cavity the Avatar flailed helplessly and fell down to the ground with a crash. It wasn't long until AIDA fragments covered him like piranha's on a carcass.

"No! Kuhn!" Pi shouted desperately as the black dots formed into a more solid creature. It was a whitish-blue bear like monster with blue crescent moon earrings hanging down from it's ears. Powerful arms led down to clawed hands with spiked light blue brass knuckles on them. Around its waist was a blue band with two blue wedge shaped pieces hanging from the sides. The lower half was a giant spiky iceberg that pulsed with a soft blue color. Across its chest were two thick blue straps with snow flakes and water drops on them.

Skeith knew who it was right away. He may have been transformed by combining with his AIDA counterpart, but it was still clear who he was.

"Gorre Taiga..." Haseo whispered as the bear slammed its fists together and spun around like a top.

"Ice Rain!" Snow flew out around it obscuring it from sight as the center of the tornado flashed brilliantly before throwing out sharp icicles straight towards Magus impaling both him and Abtrunniger who had rushed to his side to try and help. When the snow cleared Gorre Taiga paused for a moment to observe his work and saw both Epitaph and AIDA pinned to the ground by the sharp icicles.

"Fire of Despair!"

A spinning disc of fire curved out from around Gorre Taiga and sliced through the air towards Innis.

"Atoli watch out!" Haseo called out.

Innis' swords cut through the air slicing the chakram of fire in half. Embers rained down around her as Hinote Gorre appeared from behind her other half. Her lower half was a large crystal burning with fire inside. The rest of her body was covered in a pinkish-brown fur and she wore a brilliant metallic orange vest and the same brass knuckles as Gorre Taiga. A reddish-pink "skirt" was also around her waist. Her claws were white and earrings in the shape of the sun hung down from her own ears.

Black AIDA dots bubbled around both of them as they both slapped their palms together before pulling them apart. Hinote with a sphere of fire between her paws and Taiga with a swirling orb of snow and ice between his.

"Fallen Paradise!"

Both threw the sphere's down into the ground and a pillars of fire and spears of ice rippled out in broad waves impaling innocent players and tearing buildings to shreds. The wave of fire headed straight for Magus and Abtrunniger and enveloped them in swirling flames.

This was no time to hesitate, however. Innis launched herself towards Gorre Taiga with her swords extended. Seeing her coming the bear turned around and caught her by the throat. Digging his claws into her gut he tore a huge swath of data out of her and tossed the Avatar aside letting her fall to the ground with code streaming from her damaged body. Dendeira came to her side to try and help only to have Hinote Gorre jump in front of her paws surrounded by flames. She punched and sliced at the fish AIDA repeatedly with her large claws leaving huge gashes. Whipping her body around fire swirled around her and slammed into Dendeira knocking her down onto Innis.

"CHIGUSA!" Haseo screamed in horror as the AIDA crashed to the ground and did not get up again.

Skeith had no time to react as Fidchell teleported in front of him and used Quadra Halo followed by Will of the Gods, trapping the Terror of Death inside the massive explosion. Falling back Skeith rapid fired his energy shots at Fidchell, but the Avatar instantly reflected them back causing them to hit the white Epitaph squarely in the chest.

Haseo gasped as all the breath was knocked out of him. Looking up he saw Tarvos lift her arms to attack only to have Corbenik appear from behind and used Clinch Needle sending the shards straight into her back. He then used Fearful Visitor to slash at her once with his arm and then a second time with the blade on his left arm, dragging it deep into her large wings. Tarvos let out an otherworldly scream before tumbling to the ground.

Skeith reached out to his companions only to be impaled from behind. Looking down Haseo saw a large spike sticking through them. Large claws came into view below him as the scorpion AIDA crawled out of the data tear in the ground.

_Scorpius,_ Haseo thought gasping for air as a crushing weight spread through his chest. Corbenik moved in front of him and used Mental Vampirism as Scorpius drained the white Avatar's energy as well. The double attack was too much for the Terror of Death to handle. His body glowed red as Haseo was thrown from him and slammed into the fountain, breaking it before rolling across the ground roughly. A huge crash sounded as Skeith fell down on his back next to him. A gaping hole still in his chest and in Haseo's as well.

Turning his head to the left Haseo saw Innis and Dendeira both glowing as large spheres of data rose up from both of them. Their bodies disintegrated as both of the sphere's pulled all of it in even as they started to come together as one. Haseo had met Skeith in Mac Anu so he knew nothing about Macha, but he did know that _something _out of the ordinary was going on here. Dragging his head over to the right he could see the same thing happening to Magus and Abtrunniger. A loud cry like that of a bird pulled his attention to Tarvos and he could see a large phoenix hovering over her a data tear sealed up just above it's head.

Niketas voice suddenly echoed throughout the area, "Initiating server transfer! Hold on everyone!" Moments later everything stretched and began to pixelate as the AIDA server was shut down and they were all moved back to the original CC Corp servers.

Haseo closed his eyes as the pain in his chest failed to go away. It was not just his pain, but Skeith's as well that burned through him making it impossible to do anything, but writhe around on the ground.

The long corridor they entered next had the blue and black lines of an Outer Dungeon. Whoever had done the transfer had probably connected the unauthorized spaces so that they would have a quick and easy way to funnel the massive amounts of information, namely the players, back to the original servers.

"Skeith..." Haseo whispered as he looked his Avatar in the eyes. The Terror of Death let out a choked, rattling breath as one of his large hands went up to the hole his chest. Skeith shuddered and rolled onto his side, but couldn't do more than that. The Avatar tried to get up but the pain crippled him. Falling back down to the floor he shuddered as the distinctive sound of something _very_ large came crawling closer to them.

Gritting his teeth, Haseo pushed his upper body up so that he was on his elbows at least. Staring him in the face was Scorpius.

How did he get here with them?

Skeith let out a hiss and dragged himself closer to his User putting one of his giant hands around him in a feeble attempt to protect him from harm. Narrowing his eyes the large AIDA dismissed Haseo completely although his large tail and spiked tip hung ominously over them both. The AIDA easily dwarfed both of them. Scorpius began to glow red and Skeith's body responded with a soft crimson glow of its own.

"I did not come to fight you. Only to try and put an end to this madness," Scorpius explained as he held his claw out towards the white Avatar. "No longer will I be Aihane's slave. This is my choice and I only want my fellow AIDA to be set free. Promise me that you will help them... and my power is yours," he said stretching his claw out further to Skeith.

Haseo stared up at the scorpion AIDA with deep misgivings. He didn't know what that last part meant, but he did know that it would change his partner forever. Whether for good or for bad.

"How do we know we can trust you?" He demanded suspiciously.

Scorpius blinked and looked down at him as if seeing him for the first time. After a long moment of silence he said, "A.I.'s do not lie... humans do."

_Gee thanks,_ Haseo thought with a frown as Skeith continued to clutch at his chest. Turning back to look at his Avatar he saw the A.I. writhing in pain and that was all it took for him to gave in. He couldn't bear to see his friend like this.

"Ok. Lets do it."

* * *

Shino hesitated as the large steel gate groaned and rolled open for them. A quick check on Masato showed that he was still sleeping soundly. There wasn't enough room for all the dogs in the back seat so Raiden was laying across Masato's lap just now coming awake. Looking up to the rear-view mirror she saw Nezumiiro and Mera now sitting up and staring out of the window's curiously as they entered the compound. It made her feel a lot better to know the dogs were ready and willing to defend them to the death should anything happen.

_Hopefully things don't go that far though, _Shino thought as she drove into the old and now abandoned military compound. Grass had grown up through the concrete and the trees had gotten rather tall showing that his place had been left to sit for quite a number of years. No vehicles had been left but there were a number of large machines that had rusted out and looked unusable now.

Straight ahead of them was a large tunnel in the ground that led down into what must be deeper levels of the base. _What was this place used for? It's not a naval base because it's nowhere near the water, but there aren't any runways for aircraft either. It's too out of the way for any other military exercises isn't it?_ Shino thought as she stared into the gaping black hole on the other side the roadway kept going. On the sides of the ramp were deep grooves. Evidently this ramp was made to be lowered and raised as necessary.

So why was it open now?

_This whole journey up into the forest has been strange. The power is clearly on in some places here, but if we've tripped any alarms then no one has come to stop us. There are no guards remaining and the doors opened right away. Is someone waiting for us?_ Shino wondered as the ramp and tunnel continued to beckon.

"Down there."

Jumping in surprise she looked over to find Masato awake and looking intently out of the front window. All of the dogs had gone quiet as well.

Of course it was down the creepy dark hole. Where else would it be?

Pursing her lips Shino looked over her shoulder to see the steel gate seal up with a loud clang. It had opened automatically when she drove up an a few motion lights had flicked on as well as she crawled across the sparse concrete. So some of the power was still on here. Taking a deep breath she stepped on the gas and drove down into the dark tunnel. Overhead lights came on as she drove down the ramp. She hadn't realized before how deep it was or how long the gap to the other side had been. Peering up through the front window she watched as they passed under the overhang. Seconds later the ramp behind them jerked and snapped up several feet and then finally began to slowly rise up until it had sealed off with a loud hiss.

No going back evidently. Shino shivered uneasily and continued driving. Orange and white overhead lights came on to illuminate the road ahead of them. Looming about a quarter of a mile ahead was another massive door. This one was sealed as well and did not open automatically.

Putting the car in park Shino and the doors unlocked. Hitting a button on the armrest all the doors clicked and popped open automatically. Right away all three dogs bounded out of the cars the doors swinging closed after a couple seconds. Nezumiiro and Raiden circled the vehicle and then ventured out farther sniffing around as Mera stood in front of the car. After about 30 seconds they relaxed and barked to let her know it was safe.

Breathing a sigh of relief Shino shut off the car and put the keys in her pocket. Getting out of the car she looked over at Masato who was getting out as well. He walked towards the door without hesitation and a small panel opened up near the top. A camera popped out and angled down at them. The blinking light on it flashed red several times before turning green and retreating back into the wall.

A series of loud clicks and grinding gears resonated and echoed off the large tunnel before the door cracked down the middle and began to opened for them. There was no hiss of air that one might expect from a place that had been sealed up for several years. Large lights shone down from over head illuminating roses and rows of machines.

Immediately Raiden and Nezumiiro shot inside and started darting back and forth heads low as they sniffed and looked around for danger. Mera stood in front of them ready to stop anything that should come their way.

Closer to the door were a wide variety of military vehicles and past those were large tanks, but the tops of them had been removed and replaced by massive cannons and rail guns. She couldn't see the end of the hanger, but she could make out larger wheeled and four legged machines. Some others were clearly drones and in the farther shadows it looked like larger jets. Mostly likely those were drones as well.

"It's a storage facility..." Shino whispered as the dogs barked to show that the coast was clear. Mera wagged her stumpy tail and looked up at her master, waiting for new orders. Rubbing the canine's head Shino looked over at Masato who was hesitating now.

"I can feel it... feel Corbenik in here... something... is waiting for us," he told her. His stance clearly showed that he was not eager to walk into the dim storage facility, however. Taking a deep breath, Shino slipped her hand into his and both of them walked in together. Raiden and Nezumiiro came back and circled back and forth around them protectively.

They had only taken a few steps inside when an alarm started blaring and yellow lights flashing. Behind them the large steel doors started to move shut. The dogs started barking from the noise and Shino thought about making a break for it when _something_ moved in the corner of her vision. Something very, _very _large.

Startled she looked over to see a large mechanical... _thing_ disappear behind one of the tanks. After a moment it peered around the side. It resembled a fox of some kind. She couldn't see it properly, but it was at least as tall as she was. "Hello? Did you let us in? We're not here to hurt you," Shino called out hesitant as it disappeared only to have its glowing eyes show up once again. After a moment it took a few steps out and lowered its head suspiciously. It was a dull gray-brown and had massive feet with large claws on its broad paws.

"I recognize that. It's a model based off the BigDog machine created in America. They are generally used in combination with foot soldiers and they help carry large loads. Some were used for covert missions when drones, jets, or other flying devices can't enter enemy territory. In 2014 they were fully automated along with the rest of Japan's and America's military machines," Masato explained as its ears flicked and spun left and right.

"So all of these machines here are AI's?" Shino asked as the hum of electricity grew louder. The soft rumble of electric engines coming to life drifted towards her ears as well as wheels began to move and metal feet began to move around. All of the machines were starting to wake up. More lights came on and eyes began to glow in the darkness. The dogs whined uneasily, but took their positions around the two humans protectively.

Grinding and screeching metal assaulted their ears as the tanks started to move, their cannons slowly swiveling towards them.

Masato had been drawn here by something. Possibly his Epitaph and possibly something else. Whatever it was Shino could only hope that it was on their side.

* * *

**AN:** So there you go. I hope you enjoyed the chapter after the long pause I put you all through. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to get up here.

Most of the Epitaphs are fusing with their AIDA counterparts which means major overhauls visually. So look forward to that in the next chapter would you? Maybe I'll convince my friend to draw up some pictures for you all. Also we get back to Shino and Masato who are in a quite the predicament of their own. What is it that's really drawing Masato/Ovan to that base


	49. Eight Phases Reborn

Time-line Update: Late Monday Night, December 9th

Chapter 49: Death Reaper, Illusionist, Creator, Oracle, Manipulator, Enchantress, Guardian, Corrupted

* * *

Kuhn groaned and rolled over on his back. He had been torn from Magus when Gorre attacked them. Evidently he had blacked out because there seemed to be a few minutes missing from his memory. The last thing he remembered was Magus hands wrapping around him and then starting to glow before everything went dark.

"...Magus...?" Kuhn asked weakly as he lifted his head. Something was different. His connection to his Avatar was stronger somehow. Slowly rising to his feet he clenched his hands slowly as he felt the power burning within him. Never before had he felt this strong. His previous state could in no way compare to how strong he was now. It was so overwhelming that Kuhn had to close his eyes and put a hand to his head. Taking a deep breath he let it out heavily and looked back down at his clothes. After a second he realized they had changed, but didn't have time to think more on it as a shadow fell across him.

Expecting Gorre or another AIDA fragment, Kuhn whipped around defensively as his Lost Weapon flashing into his hand. What he saw was most certainly _not_ an enemy.

"M-Magus?"

Kuhn's jaw dropped open as he gazed upon his changing Avatar.

The lower half of his body had changed from a long tail to that of a serpent with gold and green leaves lined along the sides. Green and brown leaf shaped shields hung around his hips as the framework came together at the top. Data strings formed and were covered over as the rest of Magus body began to finish forming. His torso and chest were pretty much the same aside from being much thicker then before. Both arms were still the same and the shoulders were missing the round covers and instead only had two leaves covering each side like before. The white mask was the same, but was flat in the back and had two long beaded strands hanging down from the sides and dangling down past his shoulders.

Eyes that shone greenish-gold stared back at him through the mask. A glowing sphere, or at least the aura from it, was visible in Magus chest as a familiar chime sounded. Black dots bubbled up from the sphere and began to spread outwards like a disease. It trailed all the way down his serpentine body dripping away to form a skeletal spine and ribs that were gold with a light green hue. More AIDA dots crawled upwards and spread out to create the hood of a cobra as Magus head was consumed as well. When the black slick cleared a snake head was left. It too was just the skeleton and had eyes that were the same greenish-gold color as the ones staring out from Magus mask. The mouth extended past Magus' face and long fangs sliced down from the top as smaller teeth framed the Avatar's face.

Etched on both sides of the snake head were kanji that read: _The Creator_ followed by the kanji for the number three. Long serpentine coils shifted and slithered as Magus flexed his fingers and stared down at his new form. The amount of power flowing from him dwarfed his previous form by such a vast margin that it was making Kuhn dizzy.

Was all of this power really his to command now?

A loud hiss startled him and Kuhn turned around to see a Grunwald AIDA fragment rearing up to attack him. His first thought was "attack" and in that same moment Magus' tail snapped around slicing the AIDA cleanly in half. The leaves along its body spread out and glowed as they absorbed the data streaming from the other A.I.

"Our thoughts are now one. All you have to do is think of it and I will do it. Finally we are complete and I am in my true form. While I may be different from before, my spirit... our spirit is the same. Only stronger and better than ever before," Magus stated his voice raspy and with more of a hiss to it. Raising his arms the snake eyes glowed in response as a familiar chime sounded. Black AIDA dots bubbled and danced around his body.

"Together as Epitaph and AIDA combined, we will work together to defeat Aihane once and for all," Magus said affirmatively as he looked up. Following the gaze of his Epitaph, Kuhn saw what must be Innis getting up from off the ground. She was robbed in a yukata style outfit with wide sleeves and her usual colors of bluish-green and white. The circle on her back was far more ornate and stylized. It had six swords sheaths with kanji titles etched on each one along with a number. Each sword was different and the sheaths they were held in had designs and colors similar to that of the Epitaph they represented.

There was a green and brown one with a gold snake wrapped along its length and the character for the number 3, followed kanji that read: _The Creator. _Exactly the same as Magus. The only one's he didn't see were Skeith and Corbenik, but the flash of metal in Innis sleeves provided a hint as to were her last two blades were hidden.

Reaching into one wide sleeve opening she pulled out a traditional straw hat made in the fashion of most rice farmers and put it on over her head. A small ribbon with a bell on the end dangled down from the front. Elegant calligraphy on the front of the hat had the number 2 as well as the words: _The Illusionist_. When Innis turned to face him her eyes were hidden by the brim of the hat, but her lips were curved up in a smile made all the more eerie by the stitches that were laced across her mouth.

"Welcome back Magus. It looks like we have finally reached the final stage, but I'm afraid Aihane has used this opportunity to capture Tarvos. He activated the slave system he planted within her just as Ceren started to combine with her. I don't know how he managed it, but that slave system was able to mutate and entrench itself into every line of code in her body. We have to find Macha and Skeith or we even our combined strength won't be able to stop Gorre and Tarvos, " Innis explained as she turned and pointed back to where Fidchell was still floating over the central dome in Mac Anu. He still looked the same as did Corbenik. They could be thankful for that at least, but there was no telling how long that would last.

They needed to act quickly.

* * *

Danger... The World was in danger.

Aura opened her eyes and a tear slipped down her cheek in distress. It would not survive this time. It was ripping apart at the seams and there were still people trapped inside. There was no way for them to escape. She could sense people from CC Corp working relentlessly to break down the barrier, but they were taking far too long.

Adding to that was the fact that Magus, Innis, and Skeith had all been severely injured. Even now she could feel the AIDA creeping through their systems. Was it a good AIDA trying to help them or was it Aihane capturing them as well? From here there was no way to tell what was really happening. Whoever this human was he was extremely good at what he did. She hadn't seen a hacker like him since Helba. Still it wasn't hard to figure out what Aihane wanted. One thing that was obvious was that he was going after Skeith. If he had the First Phase then that was all he needed in order to summon her. Thanks to Morganna both she and Skeith were now bound together. Both of them were here due to her influence.

_Mother... it's because of you that I was finally able to be born... now matter how much you tried to stop it from happening. Skeith is your first creation, he is a part of you and as such I cannot resist his call. If he calls to me then I must answer as I did before in the Hulle Granz Cathedral. Only this time I must go personally, _Aura closed her eyes and then grimaced as she felt and AIDA begin to integrate with Skeith's data as well.

_Skeith... not you as well,_ Aura chewed nervously on her fingernails and then smiled slightly. Harold had told her once that his love Emma Wielant had done the same thing when she was stressing over writing her now infamous poem the Epitaph of Twilight. But she had good reason to worry.

Her three knights had either been defeated or captured. Azure Kite was gone while Azure Balmung and Azure Orca had vanished; likely they too were now under Aihane's command.

Before Aura had retreated from The World in an effort to keep people from treating her as a Goddess and to keep humans from depending solely on her to protect and maintain the network. By retreating from them Aura had hoped they would find their own way in this new world of peace.

But that had never happened.

The network had grown more strained and her disappearance only gave rise to AIDA. _She_ was the reason this was happening and it was only fitting that she go back to try and fix it.

Turning her attention over to another matter, Aura watched as Shino and Masato were increasingly surrounded by machines and drones inside the army base in northern Japan. It was clear that The World could not be saved and would have to be abandoned. By going there she was putting herself in a very compromising position. While it would be easy for her to break through Aihane's barrier she would have to do it from the inside, not the outside. That would allow her to safely boot all of the players off the server just as the barrier collapsed. Once it fell all the data and code would begin eating itself as if diseased. It would only take a few minutes for the entire server to crash. This time, however, there would be no rebuilding it.

Adding to that issue was the fact that Aura knew she would be vulnerable while she did her work. Sure it would only take a second to focus her power and tear Aihane's barrier apart, but a split second was all it would take for one of the Avatar's under Aihane's control to capture her. At this stage of their growth even she wouldn't be able to fight them off. She was meant to watch over and direct The World, never to fight. Now her home was teetering on the edge of destruction and she would be the one who gave it the final push over the edge.

* * *

Inside the Hulle Granz Cathedral the chained statue of AURA began to glow. The chains fell off with a loud clatter as the light filled the building until nothing else could be seen.

* * *

Xen fidgeted and darted back and forth nervously around Corbenik. His mind had never before been so clear, so focused.

He liked this feeling, but right now even he could see that things had changed. Innis and Magus had reached their ultimate forms, but so had Tarvos who was now under Aihane's control. Looking over he could see her standing back up.

The Avatar's human-like face was framed by "hair" made of deep pink feathers that turned to a mix of purple, pink, and red The same spike protruded through her midsection, but her legs were hidden by large wings that extended from her lower back and wrapped around front. Even larger wings extended out from the top of her back, but all along the edges were sharp pale spikes like the one rimming the end of the spike sticking through her belly. Each feather was serrated and barbed giving Tarvos a very fierce appearance. Her hands were bound together with a spiked chain that wound around her arms and connected to a spiked collar around her throat.

However, there were black marks zig-zagging across her body like strands of gangrene which served as clear evidence that her ultimate form had been corrupted thanks to the fact that the slave system had been activated at just the right time. Aihane was very clever. Written in bold kanji on Tarvos neck collar were the words _The Guardian_ as well as the character for the number seven.

"Dangerous, dangerous. Skeith missing, missing, gone. If Scorpius succeeds it will be three against three. The World can't handle the strain, too fragile, too weak," Xen chattered as he darted back and forth nervously. Corbenik nodded and flexed his left arm.

"Do you remember what to do?" Corbenik asked in a steady voice, but Xen could sense the fear surrounding his counterpart.

Xen bobbed his head, "Protect Aura, save Aura," he repeated as Gorre moved to stand next to Tarvos. Fidchell continued to hover over the main Chaos Gate. Not that there was anywhere else for people to go. Those that weren't dead had either stopped fighting or were still putting up futile attempts to resist the AIDA that were still swarming the town. It was all over. Only the Avatar's could determine the outcome of this battle.

Corbenik nodded and Xen darted around the city ordering the other AIDA to fall back. They did so obediently and waited to see what the Avatar's were going to do. A sudden flurry of flower petals swirled by him and he brushed them away in...

Wait a minute. _Flower petals_?

Lifting his hand he caught a few and looked down at them. They were cherry blossoms, but there were no such trees built into the graphics of Mac Anu.

Looking up he saw that they were softly blowing through the air all around them. Looking around he didn't see anything, but the message was obvious.

Macha was here. Obviously she wasn't literally inside Mac Anu otherwise they would have sensed her already, but she must be on the outside trying to get inside or to get her friends out.

All around them The World shuddered as the graphics literally began to tear ripping open the sky and revealing gaping chasms of code.

* * *

When the darkness cleared Haseo could feel the power running through him. This was totally different from before. There wasn't even a way to put it into words. It felt as if the entire internet was at his fingertips, ready to be bent and shaped as he willed it as soon as he_ thought _it. Sure he could feel Skeith's thoughts and sense his presence before, but the Phase had always been a separate distinctive being. Now he was truly a part of him. Haseo could feel his presence with every breath he took, with every beat of his heart.

Every thought was shared, every feeling completely in tune.

Turning around Haseo looked up into the shadows, but only saw a pair of thin glowing red eyes shining above him with a smaller set below. It was like he _was_ the shadow, the darkness incarnated. No longer was he a white guardian ready to wield his scythe to fight against Cubia.

He was truly a monster. Skeith was death itself.

Haseo smirked and looked down at his own new form which looked just like the human form Skeith normally took except for his hair which by the strands floating down in front of his eyes was now shaggy and jet black.

Skeith's deep voice rumbled through the air as he said, "When I was first created I was the Shadow of Death. Then was reborn even stronger as the Terror of Death. Now I have reached my ultimate form. Now I am the Death Reaper and you are my master. Whatever you desire I shall carry out whether for good or for evil. If you wish to save the world it will be done and no one will ever bring harm to those you hold dear. If you wish to destroy it then I will allow no one to stand in your way. Ask whatever you will of me and I shall carry it out." The darkness rippled slightly as Skeith bent down on one knee and bowed his head.

Haseo lifted one gloved hand and then clenched his fist. Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly as he felt his Avatar's power coursing through his veins. Was this what it was like for Aura? Having the entire network laid open so clearly before her eyes? All of his senses were heightened and sharpened. He could _feel_ the data all around him, feel every line of code racing around him and forming the visuals in front of his eyes now. Ready to be shaped and molded with a single thought or gesture.

All his nerves were on a hair trigger. Haseo had never felt so... _alive_ before. Looking up he could see the shadow's rippling and slipping back and forth. That's when he realized what the black slick actually was. Black dots, so thick and viscous that it was like oil.

"I am the First Phase, but I am also AIDA. All of the same abilities they have are now yours. The emotions and feelings of others will now be obvious to you. Ready and willing to be bent however you wish," Skeith stated as the wall of black dot's rippled and shuddered with anticipation.

Haseo could feel a grin spreading across his face. Finally he had all the power he had finally wanted. Enough power to change the world. Enough power to finally protect Atoli the way he should have before.

He would never let his friends get hurt again.

"Let's go Skeith. It's time to show Aihane that we won't be pushed around or led on a string as he see's fit," Haseo ordered and the Avatar's head turned to stare off in the distance.

There was a long pause before he said, "I can sense her. Aura is here."

* * *

Flower petals danced around Macha as she did her work. Ren and Kisho were working from the outside to render Aihane's barrier ineffective, while she did the same from the inside.

Endrance stood by patiently as Macha did her work. It was quite a surprise to wake up here after drifting in and out of a dazed confusion in that hospital bed. At least now he was doing something useful for his friends instead of being a burden to them. Looking up he gazed upon the beautiful form of his reborn Avatar.

Her elegant body was now jet black with vibrant pink and white-edged cherry blossoms trailed down from the right side of her face. Black and pink robes wrapped around her chest and torso and metal gauntlets wrapped around her lower arms and hands giving her already long claws a far more fearsome appearance. Both gauntlets had eye-like designs embellishing them. Macha's lower body was now a blooming pink cherry blossom that was beautifully striated with black. Marks showing AIDA's presence.

Painted in elegant pink calligraphy on both of her furry black shoulders were kanji that read _The Enchantress _along with the number six beside it.

"How much longer?" Endrance questioned as he brought up several monitors so he could check the progress of the barrier. Whereas before it had been an opaque, but solid, wall it now was starting to waver and shimmer as Ren and Kisho started to disable that. They couldn't completely tear it down, but they could shut it off at least which would enable help to get inside or allow the other Avatar's out if necessary. After that they needed to figure out from there was how to bring it down completely without destabilizing the rest of The World and killing what innocent people remained. The number of Lost Ones was climbing, but this time there was no way of knowing if they would ever be recovered. The Word was going down in flames for good this time.

"We've just lost Dol Donna." Macha said the words softly. For a moment she glanced down at him and Endrance could see the regret in her pinkish-purple feline eyes. "There were still 600 people on that server," she added before turning back to her work.

Endrance closed his eyes for a moment before shaking his head. "They are lost to us now. We will have time to mourn their sacrifices later. For now we have to save as many as possible and get our friends out of there safely," he reminded her and Macha nodded and hit one final key. A green light flashed at the edges of the monitor before she waved it away.

"The barrier is effectively shut off. However, we must get to Lumina Cloth immediately. The way the server's are connected the AIDA must briefly pass through there before getting to Mac Anu, even if they are coming from another Root Town. This transfer is imperceptible to a normal player, but by going there together we will be able to keep any AIDA from trying to intercede and provide backup support," Macha explained to him as he closed the screens in front of him as well.

"Then let's go. The rest of the battle lies in the hands of Haseo and Skeith now," Endrance said as the Phase ripped a data tear in the air beside them.

* * *

Shino swallowed hard and moved closer to Masato as the machines all turned to look at them. All of the dogs were growling in warning, but there was little they could do against guns and bullets.

"What do you want? Who led us here?" She asked in a voice that wasn't nearly as strong as she would have liked it to be.

"Here! Over here!"

Both of them turned to see a small robot in the form of a lizard sitting on hood of one of the jeeps. Folded along its side were what appeared to be wings, probably for gliding. Shino recognized it as a new prototype spy drone that had just gotten the green light for mass production.

"Aura has summoned you here. Sorry for the deception, but it was vital that you be here. Besides it is not safe for you anymore now that Aihane figured out where you were located in the mountains. She imitated Corbenik's signal in order to get you to come here. Should something happen then both of you will be her last resort." The little robo-lizard tilted its head and looked them up and down.

"Follow me. We must get deeper inside to the computer room and wait for her arrival," it added flicking its wings out and gliding over and landing on the head of the large fox-like machine that was still standing there watching them. "The World is going to collapse. Before that happens there are innocent people inside who must be saved. However, protecting them will put Aura at great risk. If the Avatar's cannot protect her then she will come here and take a new body for herself offline so that she will be safe from further attacks. That is where you two come in. She will be weak and in need of protection until she recovers," it stated crawling a little closer and leaning out farther to look at them.

Masato nodded and rubbed his head wearily, "They've been using and reformatting A.I.'s to pilot military drones and machines; letting them operate on their own rather then having humans do the work and having to deal with the potential mistakes that came along with them," he explained and then added, "Inhabiting a mechanical body would be simple for Aura. She could reformat herself and compress her code so that her data is able to fit within any of these drones, some of which may be empty shells or old style AI's created by people instead of Aura."

Shino nodded slowly and whistled a command for the dogs to stand at ease. All of them relaxed, but Raiden and Mera still cast suspicious glances at all of the machines standing around them.

Finally things were starting to make a little bit of sense. Aihane had discovered them and enlisted the help of some mentally unstable young man to kill them. Then Aura had lured them here in an attempt to save herself from being captured.

The gliding robot sat back calmly. "Aura will not force you to help her, however. If you agree to see this through then not only will she will heal Masato completely, but when she has recovered she will also keep you safe from Aihane's further attempts to harm you should they come," it added as a compromise.

Masato shook his head. "I would have agreed either way. Aura has done so much for The World and for the real world already. It's time we returned the favor," he said firmly as he turned to Shino.

She nodded firmly. He had told her the history of The World several times before so she knew the history of Aura. Humanity owed her a lot more then they realized. They owed her everything.

"We'll do whatever we can to help her. Lead the way."

* * *

Atoli froze as The World itself shuddered violently and what could only be described as a hole began to peel open in the air above them. A brilliant white radiance spilled out as a woman's form began to take shape. All the Avatars and AIDA stopped and looked up as the light faded to reveal a young woman with flowing white dress and hair.

"Aura has come to help us."

Atoli looked up at the new form of Innis. The Avatar flicked her wrist and two blades flipped out from within her sleeves. One was black and red with the words _Death Reaper_ scrawled on it. The other was a light metallic blue and had the words _Corrupted_ etched along the blade.

Around them were the few humans left who had failed to make it inside a building or home before Aihane shut those off as well.

Silence fell over the entire city as the few humans left tore their eyes away from Innis and up to the shining form in the sky.

"Little Children of Morganna. Lend me your protection and aid!" Aura's voice rang out through the air as she lifted her hands in supplication. Code danced around her fingers as the air surrounding Mac Anu wavered and cracked.

Immediately Hinote Gorre and Gorre Taiga shot towards her like lightning bolts, claws outstretched to tear into her. Before they could get anywhere near her Xen had infiltrated their path and curved towards Gorre Taiga teeth grinding like a chainsaw. He latched onto the bear's arm and his teeth tore into as Hinote Gorre stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to help her counterpart. Even though the Avatar's were stronger, Xen's data was still corrupted and diseased and black lines began spreading out from the wound like gangrene.

Roaring in anger Hinote Gorre dug one paw into Xen's side and ripped her claws back out violently taking a large chunk of his data with it. With her other paw she grabbed his mouth and forced it open and off Gorre Taiga's arm before lifting the shark AIDA over her head and throwing him back down to the streets below. Corbenik turned from watching Aura and clutched his head and side in clear agony as he turned towards Xen who's body had been torn apart.

Meanwhile, Fidchell fired a blast off towards Aura, but was intercepted by Magus who put up his shield and then darted forward to wrapped his long body around the enslaved Avatar, effectively stopping him. A deep warning hiss and bared fangs warned the other Phase off when he started to struggle.

That still left Tarvos who had lifted her bound arms towards the sky. Aihane had activated his slave system at just the right moment during her fusion with Ceren so she was no under his control. Magus and herself had been spared that fate and now their data was too advanced and complex for him to make another such attempt. Her wings were starting to glow with power as she prepared to launch an attack of her own.

Innis leap up into the air and spun around gracefully before landing behind Tarvos and effortlessly cutting her down with a two stroke slice. When she tried to get up she put one blade to Tarvos throat and the other to the back of her neck.

"Forgive me my friend," Innis said softly.

Tarvos tilted her head slightly and said, "No apology necessary. My actions are not my own. Don't worry about us. Just stop Aihane."

Aura's body shimmered with power and light as the barrier around Mac Anu flashed and then shattered like glass. The data tears in the sky tore open farther and new ones appeared. Buildings around the city that hadn't been destroyed already now flashed to static and crumbled away into a jumble of numbers and symbols. Everywhere the players that were left had blue warp rings surround them simultaneously as they were kicked off the server and out of The World.

Corbenik had fallen to his knees beside Xen and had his hand over his body, now ripped raggedly apart. Both of them began to glow as the shark AIDA gave his power over to his counterpart.

Aura was still vulnerable... and there was no one left to cover Gorre.

Gorre darted towards Aura, claws dancing with fire and ice. Hinote Gorre leapt up in front of Aura and swung her arm forward to attack her claws looming dangerously over the much smaller A.I. Before she could complete her attack black dots bubbled up on the other side of Aura and a long black and red plated tentacle shot out of the mass of AIDA dots. The tip of it sprang open into three parts and a long needle snapped forward at the same time. It swerved around Aura's form and slammed straight into Hinote Gorre's midsection rippling with energy as it used Data Drain on her before snapping violently and throwing her down.

Another mass of black dots bubble up behind Gorre Taiga and another tentacle shot out and the needle ran itself right into his back pitching him forward slightly as it too used Data Drain before tossing him aside as well.

More black dots appeared in the sky all over the city as more tentacles slid out for a total of eight. One hovered ominously near Fidchell, another appeared beside Innis as she held Tarvos still, two more above where Corbenik and Xen had fallen.

All around them buildings continued to crumble and disintegrate.

Magus tightened his coils around Fidchell and pointed to the center of town just below were Aura was still hovering. "Skeith is here," he said as a massive hand with black armor plates and sharp claws appeared from the black mass. Followed by a head with two large horns that swept back from his head followed by two smaller ones beneath them. Glowing red eyes scanned the area as the rest of his body followed.

Skeith had been reborn as a true monster. His armored form was bigger and thicker then ever before and spikes sprang out from his back and crawled up the sides of his legs. As he crawled up out of the AIDA dots they could see that his feet were made of three long claws, two in front and one in the back. His look and the armor plating on him was similar to that of Haseo's 3rd form with the tentacles hovering around the city looking just like the long "tassel" that had hung down his back in that same form.

On the back of each of his hands was an eye as well as a larger one in the center of his chest all faintly illuminated by an ominous red. The spaces between Skeith's armor plates were also illuminated and glowing red as well. Seeing him was enough to send a chill up anyone's spine.

Atoli shivered as a building next to her dissolved like all the others and the ground around her started to shiver and fade away.

"Innis!" She called out to her Avatar and right away she jumped back away from Tarvos and landed in front of her. Right away Tarvos opened a data tear and escaped through it. Gorre moved towards Magus who hissed but retreated at the threat of fighting both of them and Fidchell. When the Phase had been freed all of them went through a data tear and left the area. The scant AIDA fragments that remained did the same.

"My lady we have to get out of here, it's not safe," Innis said as she reached down and held out her palm. Atoli stepped onto it as her Avatar stood back up and looked over at Skeith who had summoned a scythe to his hand. It was the same shape as Shadowy Death which was the name of the Lost Weapon Haseo had received in the Great Temple of Caerleon Medb.

"Don't worry about them. Skeith will not let anything happen to Haseo. Both of them will come back to us alive," Innis said calmly added as she nodded to Magus who dipped his head and slid over to pick up Kuhn before moving to Pi who was laying on the ground immobile as The World crumbled around her. He gently picked her up and slid his snakelike body through a data tear that opened next to him.

Innis flicked her wrist and data tear opened up next to her and said, "Macha informs me that she has been fighting off AIDA hordes that were trying to invade Mac Anu. All of them are retreating and the area around her is collapsing. We are to meet her back on the secure G.U. servers set up by Niketas and Rhodesia along with Magus."

Atoli chewed her lip nervously, but took a deep breath and nodded slowly. She had to trust them.

_Take care of him Skeith, please don't let me down, _she thought as they left The World for the last time.

* * *

Skeith narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his scythe as Corbenik rose to his feet.

His body was now mixed with contrasting dark and light blues. On the back of both of his wrists were two curved fins. His fingers had were webbed and his thick body was covered in very short uniform ridges. Just like shark skin. His head was now a skeletal shark head with rows of gleaming teeth. Blue eyes gleamed ominously from the eye holes as well as inside the open skeletal mouth as black AIDA dots filled the space inside the otherwise empty skull. A bony spine ran down his back along with three more large shark fins it stretched down his shoulders to his forearms and fingers and down to wrap around the front of his legs. Thin metal stitches laced Corbenik's body and gave him a pieced together appearance and there was a large scar gouged into his chest.

It was a hideous sight to behold. He looked completely misshapen.

Kanji etched into his shark skull had the character for the number eight as well as the title _The Corrupted_.

_Xen's body wasn't complete when he fused with Corbenik. That must be why he looks so... _Haseo's thought's trailed off, but Skeith knew exactly what he meant. The Eighth Phase just looked... wrong somehow. Almost diseased. Discolored blotches of skin covered his body and when he stood he was hunched over slightly.

Reaching back Corbenik removed the bone "spine" on his back and it extended and sharpened at both ends to form what looked like a harpoon; like the kind divers would use to ward off sharks. It had curved spines all over it and looked ready to tear any enemy into pieces.

Skeith opened his left hand and black AIDA dots bubbled together to form a second scythe identical to the first.

Aura had fallen to the ground the area around her remaining solid as the rest of Mac Anu withered away. There was practically nothing left but an empty sea of jumbled symbols.

Neither Avatar moved.

Finally Corbenik turned and slung his harpoon around a long bone chain whipped out after it. Leaping forward Skeith whipped both of his scythe's around and sliced the harpoon and the chain holding it into numerous pieces. Turning around he stood in front of Aura protectively.

"Go Aura. The only reason he's still here is so that he can capture you. You must escape while there is still time," Skeith's deep voice ordered as he twirled his left scythe around tauntingly. Corbenik's eyes narrowed as the cut up harpoon burst into AIDA bubbles and reformed in his hand.

Aura was gasping hard with the effort she had exerted. Looking up at him she looked ready to object but then a deep weariness fell over her face. Nodding slowly she climbed to her feet and glowed faintly. Corbenik snarled and leapt towards him ready to spear Skeith clean through with his harpoon. All around Mac Anu the long tentacles retracted and reappeared above Corbenik shooting towards him as if to impale him.

Moving to intercept, the First Phase whipped one scythe around to catch the harpoon before twisting the handle to wrap the chain around the blade to immobilize the weapon. Planting his feet, Skeith brought the other scythe around and brought the sharp blade right to Corbenik's neck... before slicing clean through it.

Jerking back the Phase gripped his weapon and stumbled a step back which prevented Skeith from cleaving his head clean off. A hand went up to his neck which now had a gaping hole that poured black ooze. Black lines shot out of his neck and wove together stopping the black ooze and firmly stitching Corbenik's neck back to his shoulders. Thin black lines had started to crawl up the blade and hilt of Skeith's left scythe which was still holding the harpoon and chain and keeping it from being used. The corrupted data that Xen had been made of had evidently made its way to Corbenik's new form. Anything he touched would be corrupted. Hence his new name.

The large scar on his chest peeled back to reveal another mouth with rows of grinding teeth. It snapped and bit at him eagerly. Disgusting.

The tentacles Skeith controlled hovered near Corbenik's head, ready to attack at the slightest provocation. The long spikes on the end showed Scorpious' influence and each one had the same power to Data Drain anything unfortunate to be impaled on it. However, they could also attack if necessary.

Meanwhile, the light from Aura grew brighter and brighter and then winked out abruptly leaving nothing but an empty space where Aura had once been.

"Your target is gone Aihane. Leave now before you lose one of your precious slaves," Skeith said loudly as he stared back at his former companion. Eyes that had once that had once begged him do something and to stop the human controlling him were now vacant and empty. No emotion, no feeling, no nothing. Just an empty shell following orders.

"I'm going to save you Corbenik. I promise Aihane will pay for all the damage he's done today," Skeith whispered, but his words garnered no reaction from the Avatar across from him as he expected.

Flicking his left scythe back Skeith released the harpoon and Corbenik jumped back and opened a data tear. He cast one last look at the First Phase before jumping through it and leaving the area.

_We'll get him back Skeith, don't worry. We won't stop until we get all of them back,_ Haseo promised him and Skeith knew his User meant every word.

Both of his weapons burst into black dots and faded away. For a moment he stood there and gazed around at the place that had once been his home. Now there was nothing left.

Black dots bubbled around Skeith as he turned and exited The World and escaped the dying server.

He left The World behind... forever.

* * *

**AN: **A thousand apologies for taking forever and a day to finish this chapter, but I was literally agonizing over every word, sentence, paragraph, and part to make sure it was as good as possible. I'm sure there is still more I could have done to make it better but I tried my best!

So how do you like the Avatar's new forms? The only one you didn't get to see was Fidchell but I promise you'll get to see him next chapter.

As for the whole thing with Skeith vowing to obey Haseo whether his decisions were for good or evil... yeah I've just been playing too much Infamou and Infamous 2 on my PS3 so you don't have to read anything into that. ….or do you? (cue cryptic laugh)

I was going to have something terrible happen to Ryou but then I decided that tearing The World to pieces and shattering it beyond all recovery was bad enough so there you go.

I know I should have proofread it better but... but I really wanted to get it posted for all of you who have been waiting so long... (note: this is an excuse utilized by the lazy procrastinators of the world not a valid reason. Feel free to pummel me for it).

Thank you all so much for being so patient! Chapter 50 will be the last so hold on tight folks because the end is coming next chapter!

**AUTHORS NOTE:** As soon as I posted this chapter someone took the opportunity to post horrible reviews. Not just flames, but saying that I had been dropped on my head as a child, my stories are trash, nigger, i must have been abused as a child, etc etc along with words I'm not even going to repeat. All of those reviews have been deleted and because of this idiot who seemed determined to go down the list and spam every chapter I had **anonymous reviews are no longer allowed**. Sorry to do this to all of you innocent readers who have faithfully left anonymous/unsigned/unlogged in reviews, but I'm not gonna tolerate that kind of behavior. I have better things to do then sit around while people called me names. If my story was really that terrible then why read it at all? Sure my story needs work and I know that, but ignorant hate is not allowed here. I've got a story to write after all! Thanks everyone! ;)


	50. Epilogue

Time-line Update: Early Tuesday Morning, December 10th

Chapter 50: End of the Beginning

* * *

Ryou jerked as he was kicked out of The World and thrown back into darkness. It took a couple seconds of fumbling around with rather painful consequence to his knees and elbows before realizing that it was dark because his M2D was off. Tearing it off his face he stared at it tried to turn it on, but only got a small light on the side that flashed red and the device went off again. It was wireless and had been specially adapted to connect to G.U. Building network so when Skeith had interrupted his sleep and told him there was trouble he had immediately put it on and had assumed Avatar Form, ready and willing to fight.

After dinner with Ren and Kisho last night, which had gone very well even with the twins bickering most of the time, Ryou and Chigusa had parted ways and he had crashed on Monday night around 8pm. He had been sleeping peacefully too. Evidently Skeith felt he needed the rest and had forced his body to sleep off the stress of the past weeks with long nights and naps during the day. The Epitaph himself had been running missions on his own most of the day and been in meetings with Rhodesia and Niketas. Until something started happening with Macha and Aihane attacked. Ryou was rather fuzzy on the details at first but Skeith had quickly updated him once he was inside The World.

Speaking of which what happened to it? Clearly it had collapsed, but was it totally gone?

"Skeith?"

The response he got was extremely faint and jumbled. Like a cell phone that had static. He could feel his Avatar, but the connection was a lot fainter then before. Looking around Ryou realized the power was off. His suite was dead silent. Not even the slightest movement of air. Getting to his feet, Ryou rubbed his bruised knees and moved got up from the floor. He had fallen off the plush leather couch and banged up against the coffee table a few times before finally pulling off the M2D.

His room was dark and even the blue security camera line that ran around the ceiling and floor borders had gone dark and switched to a dull orange which showed that it was running on backup power, but thankfully he had window view. A special carbon glass, diamond infused, bullet proof, special plastic infused window that could withstand not only the regular Japanese earthquakes, but any storm, lightning bolt, explosion, or rocket that might head his way. They were one way and provided a broad of the Tokyo area.

Pulling aside one of the heavy curtains Ryou looked out over the city to see if the power outage was in this section of the city. What he saw shocked him. Not just this block, but every building and street as far as the eye could see had gone dark. Looking down he could see car lights shining every which way no doubt from car accidents and pileups that had occurred due to the power outage. Pluto's Kiss first happened in 2005 and then in 2010 the Second Network Crisis also known as "Pluto Again" happened. The latter was a massive blackout and system shutdown in Yokohama. The appearance of Cubia had almost caused a Third Network Crisis when its presence began overloading the internet and messing up Nuclear Reactors around the world. While they had narrowly avoided that it looked like there would be no such saving grace this time.

_This is the real Third Network Crisis. Is it just Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures though? Or is it bigger? Just how much damage did Aihane do? And Corbenik..._ Ryou frowned as he thought of Ovan's Epitaph and how twisted and corrupted he was now. Clutching the curtains tighter he took a deep breath and then let it out. Waiting around here wouldn't do any good. Turning around he spotted the small white form of his kitten curled up on the couch's armrest. Well at least Shira could sleep peacefully through this mess.

Heading towards his bedroom Ryou rapidly changed clothes and put on some socks. Hurrying to the door he slipped into his shoes and exited the room. The hallway was filled with a few people who were looking around in obvious confusion. Chigusa was nowhere to be seen. Maybe they were already in Basement Level 5 working on whatever had caused this problem.

Since the elevators were broken it took quite a while to work his way down to ground level and then through increased security to the most important levels of G.U. The whole time the power remained off. Patting his pocket Ryou realized he had forgotten his cell phone back in his room and therefore had no way of telling what time it was. Just perfect. When he finally arrived at the highest security level he could see running lights on the floor and the large doors opened already. People were milling around both inside and outside of the room. Rhodesia had explained to him once that it had a mechanical safeguard, a simple pin that was held up by the electric current running through the surrounding wires. If the power should shut off then the door would automatically unlock. If the backup generator went out then the pin would drop and it would automatically start to open.

"Ryou!"

"Chigusa?"

His girlfriend ran up and threw her arms around him in a tight hug before pulling back and giving him a kiss. "I was so worried when we had to leave you and Skeith behind," Chigusa said softly as she let her hands drop. Ryou gave her a reassuring smile.

"Come on you know it's not that easy to get rid of me," Ryou said as he looked around at the dark room. Kisho and Ren were off to one side right by the door talking in soft tones. "What happened? One minute I was in The World, or what was left of it, fighting Corbenik and protecting Aura and the next thing I know I'm looking at a dark room," he said looking over at Niketas who was trying in vain to get a phone signal. Looking up he shook his head and said something loudly in Russian.

Chigusa shook her head. "I don't know either. Innis and I escaped back to the general network in case Aihane or one of the corrupted Epitaphs were following up when the same thing happened to me. Since it was a public network site totally unaffiliated with The World Niketas is thinking that the internet itself has gone down. A Third Network Crisis," she explained looking over at the NAB Ambassador as he coordinated a few workers who nodded and then ran past them towards the stairs.

"Ren and Kisho were working to crack some kind of barrier around the city or the game or something like that when they were called off and told to monitor the situation instead. They said that they saw it happening. The World collapsed and the systems tied to it crashed as well and pulled down the systems closest to that and overloaded power grids and it just spread like a wave throughout the rest of the network," Chigusa must have realized that she was starting to babble because she stopped and took a deep breath.

"Sorry. Being disconnected from Innis is..." she stopped and Ryou pulled her closer.

"I know. I feel the same way about Skeith, but we'll be fine until things come back online," he paused for a moment and was surprised when Kisho looked over and spoke up loud enough for almost everyone standing around them to hear.

"This is certainly a difficult situation, but we are safe in this building and will be fine until the power comes back on. We've got plenty of supplies and the back up generators are enough to provide the basics when we get them back up and running. Unlike many of the regular players who were trapped inside the world we still have our lives," Kisho reminded them and some nodded somberly. Chigusa pulled away from Ryou and went over to hug her brother and sister.

"What now? Is this worldwide? Or just Tokyo?" she asked softly. Kisho looked over at Ren who shrugged.

"No way of knowing for sure. Judging from what we saw in those last few moments I can say for sure that that its the entire Greater Tokyo Area as well as most if not all of Japan," she paused and looked over at Niketas who was clearly worried, but still administering orders. "We'll have to wait until the network comes back up and the power along with it. Lets hope it's measured in minutes and not hours," Ren added rubbing her eyes. Everyone here looked exhausted.

"What time is it anyway?" Ryou asked and Kisho looked down at his watch.

"3:21am Tuesday morning."

"No wonder everyone looks so worn out. So what do we do in the meantime?" he asked and Ren nodded toward the stairs which were now being guarded.

Kisho raised an eyebrow at the sight. "Looks to me like we have no choice but to wait around and see what happens next. I don't blame Niketas for being cautious. So I suggest we all pull up a seat and get cozy," he said casually as Ren took a deep breath and her fingers twitched uneasily. Noticing her anxiety Kisho nodded to them and took her aside to a quieter part of the large hallway.

There was nothing to do now but wait.

* * *

Aura left The World and was plunged into darkness. It was the most horrible thing she had ever experienced. Like her mind and body had been separated. It was cold... so cold. An eternity crawled by and she was taunted by distant voices and snatches of time when the darkness would clear and she could feel herself in a... different place. Then just as quickly she was back in the darkness.

More time oozed before a flash of light blinded Aura as her mind was ripped away in a process that was agonizingly slow and just as painful. When it was finally completed she was exhausted and felt trapped and confined. Confused and her thoughts muddled she tried to open her eyes, but received only static and error messages.

"Is it okay?"

"I don't know. It took a while for the other machines to get it under control so it may be damaged somehow."

Humans. One female the other male. Both sounded so familiar. Again Aura tried to open her eyes and the static flickered and wavered before clearing into a perfect high resolution image. It took a moment for her to recognize them as Shino and Masato. They were the ones she had guided up there to this abandoned base. Both had agreed to help her.

Slowly the memories came back to her and Aura remembered that she had compressed her data and downloaded herself into a new body. The only one that could fit the largest portion of her data. But this body didn't have enough space to fit all of it. There were only a few in the world with that much built in space and the most opportune of them was located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean far out of range of even the most powerful satellites. So this one would have to do for now until.

Sensing a presence close to her, Aura jerked up and saw everything retreat suddenly as she rose up over the heads of the two humans even as the rest of her body backed up. The sudden movement was disorientating and she closed her eyes which left GPS readouts, battery level, signal strength, and a host of other data lines at the periphery of her vision. This machine had been vacated when it's host A.I. began getting too violent and erratic and was subsequently removed. Every following A.I. had been the same way and the model had been discontinued while a smaller alternative was developed.

"Whoa! Be careful!" Shino called out putting her hands out reflexively.

"Fine... I'm fine... just... need a moment," Aura answered in a voice that was a bit distorted and a lot more electronic. Shaking her head she opened her eyes again and looked around to see plenty of other drones, machines, military vehicles, and more sitting around watching her.

"Aura?" Masato asked carefully.

Ignoring him for the moment she called up the schematics for her new body and an opaque 3D rotating image appeared in front of her showing the outer shell with options to look at hidden compartments and available tools. Above it were the words _Search And Rescue Excavator_. Or SARE as it was more commonly known. It was modeled after the centipede and had two long antennae that were used to gather and transmit open or encoded signals. They could also sense changes in temperature to the 1/10 of a degree. Its body was broken up into segments that could twist and turn to fit into and crawl around buildings to find and pull out people who had been trapped in fallen buildings due to natural disasters such as earthquakes or tornadoes. It also had been used in avalanche and mudslide prone areas to dig through and find trapped survivors. Contained in different segments near its head were diamond saws, plasma cutters, lasers, circular saws, and all other manner of tools that could be used to help free the injured.

It was painted black with red eyes that were equipped with night vision, heat seeking, and other optical equipment. It was extremely expensive, but also very dangerous considering the types of potential weapons it was hiding in its body.

When the last of her confusion cleared Aura settled back down and looked back and forth between Shino and Masato. "Don't worry it is I. Transferring here was... a lot rougher then I thought it would be. This body has a lot of space, but not at the level my body requires. I am..." she paused for a moment, "Separated which makes it difficult to think at times," she said after thinking for a couple seconds. Remembering what she wanted to say she continued hurriedly before she lost her thought again.

"First we must salvage any food and other materials there are left over in this base. Then we and the rest of the machines here will leave and meet up with aircraft carrier _Kyodaina Nami _or 'huge wave'. It is the first carrier in the world that is controlled purely by machines and A.I.'s and it serves as a research station and refueling station," Aura explained to them without pause.

"There is no time to waste. Aihane will take the first opportunity he can get to follow my trail. The chance of him locating the two of you here is far too great. The other A.I.'s here will provide a full escort," Aura said as she checked out each part of her temporary body.

"What's going on outside? Why is the power off?" Shino asked.

Again it took a moment for Aura to gather her thoughts together. "The World is gone. Upon its collapse it took out the servers used to operate it. When the servers in Japan crashed it also took out servers and routers used to operate The World in other countries as well. Through the routers it spread to the general internet and overloaded it. Since there are countless countries with access to the game, the network is now down in most parts of the real world and will most likely not be up for a few hours. This is a Third Network Crisis on a scale that no one has ever dealt with before," she explained as Masato frowned at that news.

"What about the Epitaphs? What about Corbenik?" he asked urgently wanting to know what had happened to his partner.

Unfortunately that memory was crystal clear and Aua's silence was answer enough.

Taking a deep breath Masato turned around his body stiff. "I'll start looking around for anything we can use," he said tightly before heading off. Two dogs appeared and started following him. Aura now noticed that another one was standing next to Shino. It was the first time she had seen a living animal.

Stamping down her curiosity, Aura turned to the other machines and robots around here. "There is much work to be done. Help out these two humans and offer them whatever assistance they may need. If we cannot make contact with someone from G.U. first then we will have to go ahead and leave anyway," she ordered and all of them hurriedly backed up and headed off to make preparations.

While she didn't plan on staying this way for long it would be best if she got used to operating her new body just in case some... unforeseen events occurred along their way. It was imperative that they move quickly before the military and air force could get organized enough to stop them. From here they would be moving to another abandoned base that had become a storage center for decommissioned airplanes. There they would refuel and pick up the airplanes, helicopters, and jets necessary to make their trip out to _Kyodaina Nami_. From there they would move out to sea where they would be safe from the potential of most of Aihane's physical assaults. After that she would be able to send a signal to the Kraken. Perhaps it didn't have the most inventive name in history, but to date it was still the largest water machine ever created and also highly classified. It not only had enough space to accompany both her and the native A.I. in control of it, but since it prowled, constantly monitored and researched the earth's ocean's it was always moving and hard to locate.

In order for them to make contact she would have to arrange for a location to meet once they were on the _Kyodaina Nami_. Aihane would never find her as long as they managed to get to the Kraken before he got to them.

* * *

Sentou watched as Akira paced back and forth. Thanks to her "brilliant" idea they had come to the main CC Corp building, but had been apprehended and arrested before they even got inside the building. They had been grabbed, handcuffed, and had hoods put over their heads before they could utter a word of protest. After that they had driven for quite a while before being taken out of the car they had been thrown in and dragged inside. When the hoods came off he found himself alone in a small room with a table, two chairs, a one way window and a security camera up in one corner. It was obvious that they were going to be interrogated. Again.

For the next several hours they had been questioned thoroughly as to what they had been doing in the days following last Thursday and if they had told anyone what had happened that day when they snuck into The World with hacked characters courtesy of Zelkova. They had been questioned separately before being thrown in together and then waiting even longer for someone to show up. Someone had just entered the room when the lights went off.

Promptly they had been told to stay put and then the door was shut again leaving them in near total darkness save for one security light that flashed on thanks to a backup generator. All of their personal items had been confiscated and even his watch had been taken so there was no telling how long they had been here.

Akira's anger and boldness had quickly faded away as it was impossible to tell how long they had been locked up. It felt like forever. When someone finally came back they had been cuffed and blindfolded before being manhandled out of the room and pushed into a helicopter. A short trip later they were landing and being dragged back out. When the blindfold came off they were in a new interrogation room. This time the power looked like it was back on.

Looking up Sentou saw a glowing blue line circling the top and bottom of the rooms. Probably more security software. He felt a chill go up his spine at the sight of it. It felt like they were being watched. But where exactly were they?

Akira was sitting next to him and looked just as confused and upset. A loud click announced the arrival of someone else. Looking up they saw the door open as a man in a pressed black suit with a dark orange shirt and tie walked in. In his right hand was a green folder stamped with the NAB symbol on the front cover. A pair of dark sunglasses covered his eyes and he didn't bother to take them off as he sat down in the chair across from them.

"Sentou and Akira. You've gotten yourselves into _a lot _of trouble here. If I was so inclined I could have both of you branded as cyber criminals for trespassing in The World with hacked PC's and then trespassing on CC Corp property, harassing government officials, and resisting arrest," the man spoke very good Japanese, but still had a clear Russian accent.

Before any of them could protest he held up a hand to stop them. "We have security footage that we can use to prove our case. Especially when it comes to Akira who was quite clearly fighting with the police," he added leaning back in his chair. "We are currently conducting an investigation of CC Corp. One that will _not_ have a favorable outcome for them or anyone involved with them. One might construe your attempts as an attempt to aid CC Corp in illicit affairs..." he said calmly.

"What? We were just trying to figure out what was going on. We didn't help or resist anybody!" Akira blurted out brashly.

"Doesn't matter. The NAB is in charge of this operation now and you two are still _very_ famous as far as the network is concerned. You could still be branded as terrorists for your involvement in The World years ago when Morganna was still at large. Be thankful that you haven't... yet," he added before pausing noticeably. Sentou felt his stomach twist as he realized what was going on.

"You're blackmailing us." It was a statement, not a question.

The Russian man smirked and said, "I prefer to think of it as 'inventive negotiations'. The truth is that both I and another ambassador are heading a covert operation using the Epitaphs and a special division that was once under the control of CC Corp, but has now been overtaken by the NAB. You are far from useless as you are now. In fact both would serve us quite well should you choose to serve us."

Snorting at that Akira crossed her arms. "I'm assuming we have no other choice in the matter but to accept your offer. Just for the sake of argument though, what would happen if we decide not to sign our lives away?" she demanded bitterly.

"You _could _be viewed as resisting a government operation and along with your other charges. However, I wouldn't do such a thing to someone just starting their lives out. In light of the fact that your previous efforts eliminated Morganna I certainly would be willing to forget your past errors and grievances and... clear you of all charges. You could go back to your everyday lives... at a price of course. Or you can choose to work for us," he concluded opening the green folder he had placed on the table.

Sentou raised an eyebrow. "I notice that you said work _for_ you. Not work _with_ you," he warily observed. Even through those dark sunglasses he could feel the man's eyes picking them both apart. Nodding slowly the man reached into his suit and pulled out a pen and clicked it once before putting it down on the table.

"International covert agents. Online you are famous. Offline you are nobodies. We have plenty of people working online, now we need people on the ground to investigate situations personally. Robotics facilities are popping up like weeds with more then 15 more slated for completion in the next five years in countries all over the world. Nuclear plants are being operated by private networks and A.I.'s now control most machines in the largest and most technologically developed countries. Someone needs to make sure they are not abusing the A.I.'s sent to work for them and using the military machines they have been entrusted with improperly as well as being personal bodyguards whenever we need you," he paused for a moment and leaned forward.

"These A.I.'s have agreed to be reformatted so that they can better operate systems that we humans find valuable. This includes public, private, and military systems. However, they are _not _above being led astray. If a... skilled enough hacker were to convince them that it was in their best interests to work _against_ humans then they could do an extreme amount of damage. We need someone they know to go and convince them that there are humans who have their best interests in mind and that in fact they cannot live without us," he explained to them as he flipped the folder around and pushed it towards them.

"You will both receive specialized training and live on site here in this building. All contact with family and friends will be limited and heavily monitored so as to prevent any breaches of security that could put the NAB or them at severe risk," he continued and folded his hands together.

"Well as I said before you _can_ choose to decline my offer," he admitted freely but the tone of his voice indicated that doing so would be a very, very bad idea. "In that case I would be able to offer you a plea bargain in which you would both be able to avoid jail time and have all charges dropped off your record... but in exchange you would both be bound by a strict gag order in which you would not be allowed to speak, text, email, message, or post _anything_ regarding The World, the dothackers. The Epitaphs, Morganna, CC Corps dealings, what happened here, nothing. Not to mention a restraining order keeping you from going anywhere near CC Corp in the short time it's still in existence. No contact with any A.I.'s for any reason whatsoever unless it is promptly reported to the NAB. You will be followed for as long as we see fit to make sure that you comply with our demands. Tell _anybody,_ _anything,_ for _any _reason and you will be branded terrorists out to promote and incite a global cyber war," he stopped and let that hang in the air for several long seconds.

"This is not a game anymore. Not in any sense of the word. This is going to become a full scale _cyber_ _war..._ on a scale you can't possibly imagine. You can do something to stop innocent people from getting hurt, at large cost to yourself of course," he frankly admitted, "Or you can go back to your happy little lives and be watched like mice in a cage for the rest of your lives. Either way you're going to lose. With us though you just might be able to get a small part of your regular lives back in addition to working for the greater good," he concluded as he pushed the pen their way as well.

"Yeah, _your _good maybe," Akira mumbled as her fingers twitched.

Sentou, meanwhile, was too tired to make sense of anything that was going on right now. He had been interrogated for hours and now he was being told that his life was basically screwed over no matter what he did. Working for them meant that at the very least he would be able to help others. Leaving meant the same amount of scrutiny in his life and probably that of his close friends and family in addition to the threat of serious charges and jail time should he ever slip up and make even the slightest mention of The World. He couldn't imagine just leaving and "forgetting" everything that had happened here. It was impossible and this guy knew it. No one could keep silent about something like this for the rest of their lives. At some point it would slip out.

Rubbing his forehead Sentou sighed and looked up and said. "What about you?"

The Russian smirked, "I sold my soul long ago. Just sign the paper and let me work out the details with the higher ups at the NAB," he stated confidently.

Sentou stared at the paper for over a minute. Slowly he reached out and took the pen.

Out of the corner of his gaze he saw Akira opened her mouth and then close it. She looked just as confused as he was. It was clear she wanted no part of this, but like him she wouldn't turn her back on Aura. This was a way to help her and to help those A.I.'s that she had created.

Pulling the folder towards him, Sentou signed his name and then pushed it away in disgust. Akira stared at it and quickly brushed away a tear that came to her eyes before taking the pen and signing her name as well.

They had been perfectly maneuvered and he _hated_ it.

* * *

After three hours the power and phone network had come back on, but it had taken a total of 5 hours for full network capabilities to come back up in all the countries they had gone down in. During that time Magus, Innis, Macha, and Skeith had been forced off to servers in countries or locations that were still online and had to sit there until the internet came back up all over the world after which it had only taken a short time for them to get back to Japan and the G.U. servers which had been resecured and the firewall brought back up. All of them had also returned to their normal personalities. Mostly.

Rhodesia had flown via helicopter from the hospital Kaoru was still located at and was now in a meeting with all of the G.U. staff which of course included the Epitaph Users as well as Kisho, Ren, and a modest array of A.I.'s that had recently been drafted into their ranks. Meanwhile, Niketas had taken Kite and Blackrose, or Sentou and Akira, into custody and was currently interrogating them according to Skeith who had a screen up next to him. He refused to say what they were discussing only that he was recording everything and would they would discuss it once the interrogation was over.

As for the Epitaph's themselves they were currently in a part of the multiple G.U. servers that had been dedicated solely to the Epitaphs. Much like the Outer Dungeon they had formerly used in The World, this place could perform a variety of functions but mostly was just a place for them to meet and relax in. At the insistence of Skeith it had been changed from it's otherwise empty white appearance into a dark stone castle-like area with long painted glass windows and rows of torches providing plenty of light. At the moment Magus' long body was curled around several tall stone columns while Macha floated calmly below him more near the center of the room. Innis was sitting on top of a pillar that was broken off and lying on its side while Skeith sat on a giant throne tapping his fingers and looking off into space as they spoke.

"One minute I'm leaving The World and traveling through data channels to get away from the surrounding destruction and the next I'm just... in limbo. I mean there was just nothing. Then I'm bounced off to some server located somewhere near or on Mount Everest!" Magus said as the "leaves" lining his snake-like body shivered angrily. "All the servers in Japan were down. Even Russia and China crashed! I had to sit there with a bunch of bots that kept asking me if I knew the dangers of trying to hike up the mountain during winter and directing me to the nearest post for buying warm clothes!" His tail curled and lashed in obvious irritation.

Innis hummed as she spun her hat around on the tip of a sword. "Better then where I ended up. That research station in Antarctica is pathetic. Nothing but scientific experiments and research information they've run on the ice cores they've been pulling up down there for ages. Along with rather sordid network searches. They really need to clear out their browsing history more often. Not to mention going on vacation somewhere closer to civilization," she put in as an aside as she tossed her hat up and managed to land it perfectly on her head. "I had to go through a satellite connection, down to an aircraft carrier and then bounce off to Chile and up through South and North America to get back here to Japan," she said describing how she had gotten back here to the G.U. servers. Twirling her sword around dexterously she looked over at Macha.

"I ended up on a server in West Nusa Tenggara," Macha said as she smoothed a wrinkle off her robes. Innis stopped spinning her sword for a moment at that announcement.

"_Where?_"

"I haven't the slightest clue. Had to be routed through over a hundred islands in Indonesia before I finally made my way to Singapore and then made a direct connection to a company in Okinawa. Still can't find the stupid place on a map," Macha said as turned to Skeith who had been pretty quiet for the most part.

"Transistria."

Silence.

Magus stared at him for a long moment before saying, "You're making that place up."

Skeith shrugged, "Full location name of the IP was Pridnestrovian Moladavian Republic which is a name that was officially discontinued in 1992. The network is positively ancient and its a miracle it held all my data at all. Took me forever just to figure out the archaic computer language they were using and work my way to Ukraine. The computer code is nothing I've ever seen before so I still ended up in Sweden and then Belarus and Norway before finally make a connection in Russia that took me to a cell phone company in Sendai," he reported.

Magus crossed his arms. "Well at least we're all here and in one piece. Obviously Tarvos has been captured. So now Aihane has her, Corbenik, Gorre, and Fidchell. We're both more or less on equal footing and he's done enough damage _before _he managed to get them!" he hissed and puffed himself up angrily.

Innis hummed and sheathed her sword, putting it back in one of the scabbards on her back. "We also have no idea where Aura is. She could be anywhere in the world right now or possibly not even on the internet at all. There are plenty of drones sitting around that she could have transferred herself or the bulk of her data into," she reminded them and Macha nodded in agreement.

"I concur. Most likely she is in the process of moving herself to a robot or machine. It's highly unlikely that there are many models with enough memory or hard drive space to accommodate her," Macha said and turned towards Skeith. "She will need terabyte upon terabyte of space even if she compresses her data. Narrowing the choices down won't take much time for us or Aihane. We must move quickly," she waved her arm and a screen popped up beside her. Images and design specs flashed by rapidly as she did a search. Surprisingly Skeith held up a hand to stop her.

Shaking his head slowly he explained, "We have plenty of time until Aihane gathers his forces again. Hand that over to Ren and Kisho. They work as hackers and also run a legitimate computer shop so they would be in a better position to figure out which robot models Aura is most likely to use. Design specifications are not the only factors that must be considered." His explanation made sense and Macha moved to comply. With a few waves of her hand and taps of her claws on a an opaque keyboard she summoned in front of her Macha formed a message and sent it off to the two hackers.

"That is settled for now. We have other things to discuss. First we'll watch this interrogation video and then discuss it," Skeith told them. A mass of AIDA bubbles appeared and formed into a large screen. It was an overhead view of Niketas talking to Sentou and Akira. All of the Epitaphs watched and listened in silence to the discussion. Once it was over the screen froze and Skeith pushed it aside so as not to obstruct anyone's view.

Magus hissed slowly. "Something isn't adding up. Niketas isn't the most honest person ever, but this seems a little unusual even for him," he slowly slid down to the ground and coiled his body. "Something has been off about them lately. Both Niketas _and_ Rhodesia. They've been having private conversations without us and are clearly planning something, but what?" he scratched his snake skull head with the tip of his tail curiously.

Macha stiffened as a thought came to her. "I do remember Rhodesia asking me what would happen if the NAB took over and removed them from the G.U. project or dissolved the group completely and the NAB took over directly instead of indirectly sending their ambassador's to do it. I responded by saying that I would refuse. The only one I obey is my master Kaoru and for his sake I would never bow to the wishes of a group that could so easily manipulate or take advantage of him and his past experiences. Besides he would never allow it anyway," she remembered and then paused for a moment, "It was a rather unusual question and Rhodesia then asked my thoughts on G.U. as a whole. I explained that it was far from perfect but with the remaining Epitaphs it was the only real means of fighting Aihane and it was the only human organization I would lend my support to."

Innis nodded in agreement, "Niketas asked me something similar. He may not be the most honest person ever and not all his methods are completely orthodox, but he knows how to get results and can bring out the best in whoever is under his command. Rhodesia specializes in rallying support and raising morale. She can get people to work together no matter how much they hate one another. She may be kind but no one should ever make the mistake of underestimating her. Rhodesia is every bit as cunning and manipulative as Niketas. Both of them are planning something _very important_," she crossed her arms thoughtfully.

Skeith snapped his fingers and the AIDA screen dissolved in to black dots that quickly dispersed. "I've already looked into the actions of other NAB ambassadors and both of them have crossed several lines that would have resulted in stiff punishment for others. However, they have something the others don't... the _one thing _that is keeping them in their current positions without threat of punishment," he paused as Magus' eyes brightened.

"They have us!" Magus eyes flashed and his body shivered as he rubbed his hands together.

Innis' stitched together grin grew even larger. "They're planning on forming a splinter group. A group with the same authority, but with far _greater _power and the autonomy necessary to carry out whatever actions and decisions they see fit... without the actual NAB or any other local or international government agency interfering with or stopping them. More then likely they've been planning this for a while, but didn't have the resources to do so. Rhodesia earned our trust and proved by her actions that she was worthy of our trust and respect." she said pulling down the brim of her hat. "Kisho and Ren are only the first two. Niketas has not only drafted more A.I.'s but I've scanned incoming and outgoing messages from his email address and he has been recruiting more hackers like them. Mostly social outcasts much like Chigusa's siblings, but still only the best of the best from every corner of the world. Not just hackers either. Computer programmers, engineers, and more," she said and her tone of voice clearly showed that she was impressed.

Macha smirked mischievously and her whiskers twitched. "They are going to rebel against the NAB and thus every other lower government agency there is. They are out to prove that we and we alone are capable of dealing with Aihane and that for the greater good of humanity and the network we should be free to act as we see fit. Rather intelligent move I must say," she paused for a moment as her ears flicked thoughtfully. "Rhodesia is a pleasant woman to work for and very intelligent; together with Niketas more firm and relentless personality I believe they stand the best chance of guiding us in our quest to stop Aihane. Both of them really are doing this for the greater good. They are not concerned with personal appearances or promotions. This move will mostly likely be viewed as treason by their respective governments. It is not a promising position for them to be in... they are putting a _lot _of trust in us..." she said the last part softly.

Skeith closed his eyes for a moment and tapped his claws on the stone armrest. Opening them again he stood up and said, "I put forth a motion that we support this move so that G.U. can perform its duties unheeded," his voice was firm and Magus immediately raised his hand and waved it around eagerly.

"Oh count me in! This is gonna be good!"

Innis smirked as well. "I agree. A move like this can only work successfully with our help. Working to make this proposal a reality will also free our Users from further restraint and interference."

Macha bowed deeply. "How could I not offer my consent? Who better to bring back the missing Epitaph's then us? G.U. as it is now is the only organization that has the slightest idea of what we are capable of and that will treat us with the respect and honor we and our Users rightfully deserve," she stated calmly.

"It's settled then. Let's go for now and inform our Users of this decision. We have a lot of work to do," Skeith ordered. Once all the others had transferred out he turned around and more AIDA dots bubbled together into a screen. He tapped into the security feed and brought up a view of Niketas and Rhodesia who were currently discussing matters.

* * *

"So how is Kaoru?" Niketas asked as he poured a cup of sake for Rhodesia who was sitting next to him at the large conference table.

"Seven to eight days maybe before heready to come here. Aura nowhere to be found and Aihane now Tarvos has," she took a sip of her sake and rubbed her forehead wearily. "Why always young people saving the world? I'm feeling too old for this already," Rhodesia grumbled.

Niketas smiled at that comment. "Just the way it goes I guess. So when your _boyfriend _recovers..." he started and his lips pulled into a mischievous smirk when she flushed and glared at him.

"When my _friend_ recovers training for Epitaph Users begins. Them and their Avatars. Ryou already shown has unique abilities to manipulate electronics around him thanks to Skeith's increased power and control over his body. Harness that ability we need do and train it properly before hurts himself or others he does," Rhodesia added and then frowned deeply. "Examine we need the others for same or different abilities. Not make sense does it that Ryou the only one showing these powers," she said and Niketas nodded.

"Considering that each Epitaph has different personal abilities, as marked by their new titles, it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for each of their human partners to start displaying different abilities as well. As the training progresses we'll be able to see who needs to have their training focused so as to improve other aspects of their performance," Niketas stated in agreement. Taking a sip of his own sake he glanced down to the dark display screen that had been set into the table.

Rhodesia noticed but didn't comment on it. Instead she drank the rest of her own sake and said, "Getting along well Ryou seems with Chigusa's siblings. Good would be for them to work together. Need both he and Skeith to learn about hacking and computer programming. Instinct will only get them so far." Until now all the Epitaphs had mostly been going by instinct. Once they data drained something they instantly knew how it operated, but in the days and months to come that wouldn't continue to work. They needed firsthand experience and education and Ren and Kisho along with the other hackers and computer specialists Niketas was bringing in would help them greatly in that area.

"Agreed. All of them need to learn at least the basics. If an Epitaph or their User shows a special aptitude for programming, hacking, engineering or so forth then will reexamine their training to see what needs to be adjusted," Niketas commented as he poured the last of the sake into Rhodesia's cup.

After a moment of silence he tapped the table once and the display flickered slightly to the blackness of a screen that was now on. A single white line blinked up at the top.

"I presume this is Skeith? Were you just going to sit there listening or were you going to add a few comments of your own?" Niketas asked.

You would be correct. However, I felt no need to interfere. Your course of action seems for the moment to have the greatest chance of success. Was the response that came back immediately.

Rhodesia leaned forward and said, "Debriefing meeting for Ryou and the others ended has. Having breakfast and ordered all them get some rest afterwards I did. Time enough for work later."

There was pause before another reply came. Rest is what they all need. Especially for Reiko who must deal with the loss of Tarvos. Training is badly needed for all of us now so that we will be more prepared when Aihane begins attacking again.

Niketas frowned. "What makes you think he's going to wait?"

He has taken heavy losses as well from this fight. His main focus now will be to locate Aura's location. I estimate that we will have close to a year before he is ready to fight back.

Sitting back Niketas accepted that silently.

For now I think we should... He started to say something else but Rhodesia immediately cut him off.

"Should nothing! Need rest just as much as people you do! Take rest of week off I say. All of you. Start again monday with new training regimen." she said firmly.

But...

"But nothing! Of no use to anybody least of all Ryou you be without rest to recharge and think about what's happened. Order that is," Rhodesia added leaving Skeith no room to argue. There was a long pause and for a moment it seemed he was gone. Finally another reply slowly typed out on the screen.

Thank you. Your faith in us will not go unrewarded. The words stayed on the screen for several seconds before the table monitor went dark.

* * *

**AN:** The end.

Ha! I wouldn't leave you like that without a closing Author's Note! I hope all of you have enjoyed reading this story and this last chapter. Of course I promised you a sequel right? So what are you waiting for? It's already up!

That's right. I was working on two chapters at once this time around which is why I took so long getting this chapter posted. The sequel Tainted Reflections is already up and has its first chapter posted for all of you to read. So head on over and start reading to see what happens next! After the prerequisite time skip that is.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have enjoyed every minute of this story!


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